In Cleveland, what LeBron James wants is very important. He wants the Cavaliers to get a deal done with forward Tristan Thompson, but so far, the two sides have been too far apart to strike a deal. Recent injury news about Anderson Varejao might be the kick that James couldn’t provide.
Varejao, who missed most of last season with a torn Achilles, isn’t 100 percent yet with the season starting next week. The big man expressed that he’s happy with his preseason, and is optimistic about his recovery, but told the Akron Beacon-Journal he is absolutely not completely healthy yet.
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“Chauncey said it was a little tough on him coming back and actually he thought he was ready from the beginning, but he wasn’t really 100 percent yet,” Varejao said. “That’s why I’m trying to take baby steps and trying to be smart about it, talking to the coaching staff and talking to the doctors just to make sure I’m doing the right thing.”
The Cavaliers will have Timofey Mozgov and Kevin Love to start the season, but if the Cavs get into foul trouble, the bench is very thin on size. Varejao will have his minutes limited, which will likely mean shifting LeBron to power forward for longer stretches than he’d like.
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Thompson would solve this problem instantly. He has been seeking a max contract, which is tough to justify with averages of 8.5 points and eight rebounds last year, but he also hasn’t missed a single game in the last three seasons. Cleveland needs depth and durability with Love and Varejao coming off serious injuries, and with guards and forwards making almost the whole bench.
Thompson also made a strong case for himself in the postseason, when he averaged 9.6 points and 10.8 rebounds without Love in the way.
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