Is Sideshow Varejao Worth $50 Million?
July 9th, 2009 at 11:01 amBy Chris
Word is, Cleveland Cavaliers forward and Sideshow Bob lookalike Anderson Varejao has or will sign a $50 million contract extension to stay with LeBron and Shaq. Good for him. It’s always nice to maximize your potential monetarily — or, in some cases, over-maximize it. While it’s certainly not Varejao’s fault the Cavaliers are/were willing to drop that kind of cash on him, the question needs to be asked: Is Danny Ferry and crew overpaying for a player who, besides being a thorn in the side of every post player the Cavaliers face, offers these numbers: nine points and a little over seven rebounds? While Varejao doesn’t block a lot of shots, he is a pesky defender and does a good job of getting under the skin of opposing players.
But is that body of work worth half of a hundred million?
Not only are the terms eye-popping, the deal is supposedly worth six years; a long time to pay a role player that kind of money, especially when he isn’t All-Star material. And what happens if LeBron does leave after next season? The Cavaliers will be stuck with an overpaid power forward who does his best work when he’s far away from being a focal point. However, if James leaves, Varejao becomes the face of the franchise — it’s kind of hard not to when you are making that kind of money.
How attractive will the Cavaliers be if they have to rebuild in a post-LeBron era with Sideshow Varejao as one of the top paid players on the team — a player that isn’t anywhere close to being a centerpiece? Who knows? Maybe teams of unrestricted free agent role players will recognize Danny Ferry generosity and flock together, forming the best role-playing team you can overspend for.
