Cavaliers Trade Rumors: Anderson Varejao for Channing Frye offer made to Magic
The Cavaliers have reportedly offered veteran center Anderson Varejao to Magic stretch-four Channing Frye
The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t been shy about trying to shake up their roster ahead of the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline with the prevailing belief around the team being that they need to make some moves to reach their maximum potential. While they are rumored to have a lot of balls in the air, the latest is an offer to trade veteran center Anderson Varejao to the Orlando Magic.
The reported trade offer would send Varejao to the Magic in exchange for veteran power forward Channing Fyre, as reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein:
ESPN sources say Cavaliers have made an offer featuring Anderson Varejao for Channing Frye in an attempt to pre-empt Clippers' deal for Frye
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2016
For the Cavaliers, this deal seemingly doesn’t make a great deal of sense outside of the idea of trying to block the Los Angeles Clippers from making a trade for Frye. In terms of their own roster, Frye would only further complicate things in their already crowded frontcourt and wouldn’t exactly do anything to sure up their vast needs on the defensive end.
As for Orlando, they started off the action before the deadline on Tuesday when they traded away young forward Tobias Harris, but Frye has always been the player on their roster most likely to be moved before Thursday’s deadline. However, Varejao wouldn’t really move the needle for their young roster in any kind of significant way. Given that the Cavs don’t have hardly any draft picks to offer as compensation in this reported offer, it’s hard to see Orlando taking it.
Even if this deal doesn’t get done, though, it’d be a safe bet to say that both of these teams will have something done with some other teams before the deadline. The question will be if it’s Channing Frye or Anderson Varejao being moved or someone else on either roster.