The Oklahoma City Thunder are interested in signing Anderson Varejao.
With the NBA trade deadline now behind us, all eyes are focused on the buyout deadline and which waived players will end up where. The policy with the buyout deadline is that a player needs to be cut by March 1st in order to be playoff eligible this season. Any player cut after that deadline can play for the rest of the regular season but won’t be able to be added to the postseason roster for his team.
Anderson Varejao was one of the first players waived in this buyout window. Varejao was traded from Cleveland to Portland in the three-team Channing Frye deal and then promptly released. That’s not a reflection that Varejao isn’t still talented enough to play, rather he didn’t fit in Portland and was moved as a way to slide salary around for the Cavs to acquire Frye. This seems to be good news for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who appear to have strong interest in the former Cavaliers center.
According to Brian Windhorst from ESPN.com, the Thunder are interested in signing recently waived Anderson Varejao.
This isn’t a bad idea for the Thunder to consider, as Varejao could be a valuable addition off the bench in OKC. Cleveland need to shift salary to acquire a player they think will fit better with their roster, but Varejao was a solid option off the bench this season and Billy Donovan having that option in the postseason could go a long way in easing minds that are restless wondering if the Thunder can compete against the Spurs and Warriors in April and May.