Anderson Varejao subject of trade rumors: The NBA A-Z

On July 29, Brazil had just defeated Australia in a men's Olympic basketball game in London. Brazil center Anderson Varejao scored 12 points and collected seven rebounds, and he contemplated his future in the NBA.Would it be with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with which he spent the first eight years of his career, or with another team?Last summer, teams wanted Varejao, and the Cavs owed it to both themselves and Varejao to listen to offers. Varejao knew his name was involved in trade discussions, but his focus on the Olympics made it difficult for him to keep up with every potential destination."If it (a trade) happens, it happens," Varejao said in July. "There's nothing I can do. I can't control that. I cannot control that."What Varejao can control is his play, and in 20 games in 2012-13, it has been outstanding, perhaps All-Star consideration despite Cleveland's 4-17 record. Varejao is averaging 14.5 points and 15.2 rebounds a game.He is tied for the league lead in double-doubles with Zach Randolph at 15 and had 10 consecutive double-doubles with monster numbers: 20 points and 18 rebounds in consecutive games, 15 points and 22 rebounds in another, 19 points and 17 rebounds, 17 points and 18 rebounds. Earlier in the season, he had a game with 35 points and 18 rebounds.Since 1970-71, 14 players for a total of 25 times have averaged at least 14 points and 15 rebounds in a season: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob McAdoo, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Nate Thurmond, Truck Robinson, Dave Cowens, Jerry Lucas, Kevin Willis, Gus Johnson, Elmore Smith, Wes Unseld and Kevin Love, the most recent player to do it with 20.2 points and 15.2 rebounds in 2010-11."To me he's the best center in the NBA, by far the best center in the Eastern Conference," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott told news reporters in late November. "I think coaches and players are starting to recognize how well he's playing."You know who else is recognizing Varejao again? Team executives. They are taking note of Varejao's play and relative value on team salary (he's due to make $9 million in 2013-14 and $9.7 million in 2014-15) and are making calls to Cavs general manager Chris Grant about Varejao's availability in a trade.At first glance, Varejao looks like a perfect trade candidate – for both the Cavs, who are looking to gain assets as they continue to build, and other teams, who see Varejao as the big man who can help push them to the next level http://www.kingsfansshop.com/, be it the playoffs, a spot in the Finals or a title.As part of the Cavs' process, they want to improve through trades and the draft and spend wisely in free agency http://www.kingsfansshop.com/11-drew-doughty-jersey. Varejao could net both draft picks and young players.However, closer inspection of the situation in Cleveland reveals the Cavs have no pressing reason to trade Varejao now or in the future.Let's start with Cleveland's assets before digging into Varejao's tangible and intangible value with the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers want young talent, and they will get that. In the 2013 draft, they have two first-round picks – theirs, which likely will be a lottery pick, and the Miami Heat's pick, which will be at the end of the first round. However, if the Los Angeles Lakers don't have a top-14 pick, the Cavaliers will get that pick, if it is better than the Heat's.They also have two second-round picks — their draft pick and the Orlando Magic's — meaning they should have four of the top 40 picks. They also have a first-round pick and three second-round picks in 2014. This gives Cleveland plenty of options to acquire talent without trading Varejao.The Cavaliers are also very aware of Varejao's contract. Right now, Cleveland has just $29.7 million on the books for 2013-14 and could also have sufficient cap space in 2014-15. There's no reason to trade Varejao when they can spend judiciously in the free agent market and add to the core of Varejao, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, with owner (Dan Gilbert) willing to spend.Beyond impartial reasons, the Cavaliers love Varejao on the court, off the court, in the locker room and in the community. He's a leader, learning from former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and is important to the development of Cleveland's young players.His impact on the court is obvious. The base statistics are impressive Martin McSorley Jersey, and so are the advanced stats. Among players with regular minutes, Varejao trails only Brooklyn Nets forward Reggie Evans in rebounding percentage – the percentage of rebounds collected while a player is on the floor. Evans is at 25% and Varejao at 24.4% -- ahead of Love (22.1%), Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (21%) and Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (18.4%).The advanced statistics show the Cavaliers are a better team with Varejao on the court, especially on the offensive end. The Cavaliers are a more productive team with Irving and Varejao on the court together. With Irving on the floor and Varejao on the bench, the Cavaliers score 99.1 points and allow 115.4 points per 100 possessions. With Irving and Varejao on the floor at the same time, Cleveland scores 104.8 points and allows 104.1 points per 100 possessions.A team never says never about trading a player. But put Varejao's value in perspective and alongside Cleveland's values and goals, don't be surprised if general manager Chris Grant takes phone calls from other executives and says "No thanks. We're not trading Anderson Varejao."Rookie spotlight: Golden State Warriors forward Draymond GreenLate in the fourth quarter of the Golden State Warriors' 101-97 victory against the Washington Wizards on Saturday, Warriors rookie forward Draymond Green missed a 5-foot jump shot. But he grabbed the rebound and passed to guard Klay Thompson, who made a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired, giving the Warriors a 91-85 lead.He missed the shot, but got the rebound and found the open man."The guy is a tremendous competitor and doesn't do anything exceptionally well but does everything very good," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said.The No. 35 pick overall in the second round by the Warriors in the 2012 draft, Green, who played at Michigan State, has worked his way into Golden State's rotation. Though he is averaging just 2.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.3 minutes, Jackson is having a hard time keeping Green on the bench. Green's minutes were limited in Golden State's first seven games.But he has played 17.4 minutes in Golden State's past 14 games, including a season-high 28 against the Brooklyn Nets, a game in which he had six points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.Nets guard Joe Johnson was lighting up the Warriors, and Jackson decided to put the 6-7 Green on Johnson."He can guard one through four, even some fives," Jackson said.With Johnson on the court and Green on the bench, Johnson made eight of 11 shots from the field, had 21 points and was plus-16. With Green on the court, Johnson made just four of 12 shots, had 11 points and was minus-13."He was great on both sides of the basketball," Jackson said. "We needed somebody to cool off Joe Johnson. He did a great job keeping a body on him, making him work for everything, rebounding the basketball, making plays offensively and giving us a presence, playing with force."Jackson said there was no reason Green should have been available with the 35th pick. However, Green entered the draft with questions about his game, starting with what position he plays. He's not a two guard, he's not a small forward and he's not a power forward. Is he big enough the guard fours? Is he quick enough to guard twos and threes and even point guards?"I wasn't coming in here thinking I need to figure out what position I can play because at the end of the day, I don't think quickness and size has anything to do with any position," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "I just take the approach that whatever I put my mind to, I'll be able to do it. That's the approach I take. So I really don't worry about the question about what position I play."You do the things that are going to help the team win regardless of what position you play. It's just about playing basketball and doing the little things at whatever position I end up at to help the team win."What Green lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in smarts."He's as a smart a basketball player as I've seen," Jackson said. "He's a leader and he just doesn't give an inch."Tom Izzo, the highly regarded Michigan State coach, echoed Jackson."He's an intelligent player," Izzo told USA TODAY Sports. "Draymond could sit there and get a scouting report and tell all five guys how to defend each guy http://www.kingsfansshop.com/12-dustin-brown-jersey. That's a gift. He was so smart and studied his plays and film sessions. He wasn't quick enough to intercept the pass, but he was smart enough to intercept the pass. He puts himself in the right position. He thinks the game so well. We'd talk, and he's like an old man."Izzo compared Green to Miami Heat forward Shane Battier, who Izzo recruited when Battier played at Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) in high school."Some guys just know how to win," Izzo said. "I put him in that (Battier) category. He's a good teammate. He cares. Things matter to him. A coach can have real discussion with him and give feedback."Green admitted he had a little doubt about how his game would transfer to the NBA."That's just the nature of it," Green said. "You're playing against guys you've been watching your entire life. Some guys you were amazed by. It definitely takes some time coming in and saying 'Let me play against these guys and see what I can do in order to really feel comfortable.' "He is getting more comfortable by the game, and using his intelligence "by playing so many different positions and actually knowing what's going on at each position," Green said. "Whenever I am in the game, just making sure I'm making the right decision whether it's a pass, a shot or setting a screen – whatever it is, just making sure I'm making the right plays."Trouble on defense for defending championsThe Miami Heat have given up 112, 105 and 107 points in losses to the New York Knicks , Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers. They allowed 108, 106 and 110 points in victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets.Last season, the Heat allowed at least 100 points in 16 of 66 regular-season games. They have done that 11 times in 19 games this season.The Heat made their money on defense last season, finishing fourth in points allowed per 100 possessions (97.1), tied for fourth in points allowed per game (91.3) and fifth in field goal shooting percentage allowed (43.4%). This season http://www.kingsfansshop.com/14-ryan-smyth-jersey, Miami is 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions (103.6), 22nd in points allowed per game (99.6) and 14th in shooting percentage allowed (44.4%). The Heat have also given up 173 three-pointers, fifth most in the league, as teams have figured out Miami is having trouble defending the three-point line.It hasn't reached a full-blown crisis because the Heat are still 14-5. It is a concern, though."If that is a reality, then that is a major problem," coach Eric Spoelstra said of the idea his players will increase the intensity in big games. "We have an opportunity to correct it right now. If it goes too long, then what it becomes is a tendency. It goes longer than that, it becomes a habit. If it continues by the time you get to the playoffs, that's who you are. So that's what we're looking to change right now."In the past two games, Miami allowed 90 and 92 points in victories against the New Orleans Hornets and Atlanta Hawks. But Heat forward LeBron James wants to see that sustained for more than two games.A return home for Mark JacksonWarriors coach Mark Jackson grew up in Brooklyn and played basketball at Bishop Loughlin Memorial in Brooklyn. But he took no special joy in beating the Nets in Brooklyn on Friday."Most importantly, it was great getting the win. It's going to feel the same way if we leave here with a win. I don't get caught up in where it is. The bottom line is we have goals as a team, and it's about winning. So it felt good to leave out there with a win against a quality, quality basketball team."Not even a little bit of excitement winning in Brooklyn?"I guess I'm different. That's just in my DNA I guess. I'm different," Jackson said. "My brother (Troy who died at 35 years old in 2011) would be mad at me because it would be a normal game to me."Jackson did have an emotional moment or two."Certainly, it was emotional driving to the arena. I talked about passing McDonald's five blocks away that I sat in after high school games. That was emotional, realizing I was just a kid dreaming at the time," he said. "Other than that, it was just another day at the office. I got a chance to see my mom. My sister and my niece came to the game, my high school coach, too. That part was emotional, but other than that it was just another day at the office and excited that we got out of there with a win."Winning is what the Warriors are doing these days. They are 14-7 and started their seven-game road trip with four wins, ensuring this will be the first road trip of seven-plus games since 1970-71 where the Warriors have had a winning record.RejectedThese guys lead the league in getting their shot blocked:Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (39)Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (37)Golden State Warriors forward David Lee (37)Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson (35)Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (34)New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (32)Orlando Magic forward Glen Davis (30)Charlotte Bobcats guard Ramon Sessions (30)Houston Rockets guard James Harden (29)Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (29)Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (28)San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (26)Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (25)That list is full of either players who drive to the basket or big men who are not known for the leaping ability and play under the rim.MVP, team and rookie rankingsHere are my top teams and players in each category, in order:Team: Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami HeatMVP: Heat forward LeBron James, Thunder forward Kevin Durant, Spurs forward Tim Duncan, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris PaulRookie: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Alexey ShvedStory time …On a flight to London two years, an NBA executive was on the same plane with Jay-Z, a part-owner of the Brooklyn Nets.The then-New Jersey Nets were scheduled to play the Toronto Raptors in two regular-season games in London, and the NBA executive chatted with Jay-Z on the flight. Nearing landing, curiosity got the best of the executive who wanted to know what Jay-Z listed as his occupation on his UK Border Agency Landing Card.Jay-Z revealed his card, and under "Occupation," Jay-Z had written, "CEO."Just CEO. Not CEO of this company or that company. Just CEO. Sounds about right.Read the NBA A-Z insider column from USA TODAY Sports' Amick and Jeff Zillgitt at nba.usatoday.com. Send the guys feedback and ideas to @sam_amick and @JeffZillgitt. http://www.karmaskaly.ru/forum/lbj-and-nfl-fantasy-based-reality
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