ESPN's John Hollinger did a chat and was asked about Anderson Varejao's contract. Here's what he had to say (with a comment on soon-to-be-a-Cav Anthony Parker as well):
Q. Isn't the Varejao deal a little ridiculous? He really can't be worth 50 mil, can he?
A. A lot of people are killing the Cavs for the Varejao deal. I didn't think it was that bad. The last year is a partial guarantee, the per-year numbers aren't ridiculous (he starts under $7 mil this year), and if they pushed it much lower OKC or Portland could have made a push for him — remember, he was unrestricted. He's not a scorer, but he's an elite defending big who can rebound. Historically, teams have paid for that.
Q. How can Varejao be called an elite defending big after the Orlando series?
A. Because most people are smaller than Dwight Howard. Varejao is great defending pick and rolls and can handle all but the biggest center on post ups, and he's a great help defender. Cleveland got Shaq to deal with the one big guy he couldn't handle.
Q. Two years ago Anthony Parker was one of the league's best outside shooters. Can he return to that level by playing with LeBron and Shaq?
A. He's going to help them more at the defensive end, because now they have a '2' with size instead of asking Delonte West to chase bigger players all the time. But he's a good shooter too, yes.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Of all the sane folks slamming this ridiculous deal for what it is, this is the very best compliment we can find? "I didn't think it was that bad." He sounds like he's trying to set up a friend on a blind date. "She has a really nice personality."
Alan… will LeBron take Andy with him to New Jersey to play for the Nets?
If LeBron stays in Cleveland, Alan, will you promise not to post any comments for a month?
Tim, if you promise not to get off on hammering Pat during his "chats" like you did last night, then yes, if he stays in Cleveland, I promise not to post any comments for a month.
And as far as James taking Varejao to Jersey (and Brooklyn, if they can finally get that deal done) to play with the Nets, I don't know. I guess you'll have to ask him yourself. But I'm betting that if all the planets correctly align with their cap situation, Chris Bosh will be the guy playing Varejao's role on the Nets, so Varejao's $50 million flops would be superfluous over there.
What on earth is a "2 with size"? Are there any Payless Shoes employees on this blog?
ClayMatthewsSchoolforLaterals
1 = pg
2 = sg
3 = sf
4 = pf
5 = center
parker is a shooting guard with above average height
Perhaps Hollinger was simply describing a guy with a pair of really huge circumference nuts.
He probably was, if you've ever been unfortunate enough to read some of his stuff, you'd immediately realize this guy is on the lunatic fringe. A gazillion ridiculous statistics that don't apply to anything in the real world.
That being said, according to Kevin Pelton, who is another crazy stats maven, Parker … well, despite the local media's propaganda, Parker actually now kinda sucks on defense. For what it's worth. http://xr.com/w73
Thank you, Andy. Does that numbering system come from basketball coaches, or from ESPN-type media analysts, much like the celebrated term "big"? As in, this team will never advance to the Finals until we get a better "big" to stop their "really big" in the paint.
Alan…I didn't hammer Pat but I did hammer the subject matter. I personally don't care if the Browns won't allow reporters full access to practice or summer camp. But I will keep my promise not to criticize any of Pat's chat subject matter. Soon you will be silenced for 30 days when you keep your promise after LeBron re-ups with the Cavs.
Oh, I'll keep my promise.
Honestly, I am vacillating, and have been vacillating for a couple of years now. I certainly wasn't anticipating the recession's effect on everybody in the NBA, which has changed the rules of the game a bit.
Here are my percentages: The Cavaliers win the title this coming season, 70% chance he re-ups with Cleveland. Because he has proven to himself that he can really win a title no matter who or what is actually surrounding him, and no matter the fact that good free agents will always avoid the Cavaliers like skin pigmentation avoided Michael Jackson.
However, if the Cavaliers don't win the title this coming season, 0% chance he re-ups with Cleveland. If there was a percentage less than 0%, I would use that percentage.
As far as the Nets and Knicks are concerned, I'm also vacillating about that, and have been in inner turmoil about this since 2006. Any guy would obviously want to go to the Knicks first, but as far as immediacy is concerned, the Nets would be the better choice roster-wise, although that can obviously change between now and next July. Although, I think both the Knicks and the Nets will somehow create the necessary space for close to two max contracts. The Nets are almost at that level already.
By the same token, if Ratner is able to push the Brooklyn arena through against the politicians' objections, it's the Nets.
So don't hold me to the Nets exclusively or the Knicks exclusively. Or even to the Clippers, who I think now have a realistic outside derby shot. With James holding his camp in San Diego, and with James seen parading on a French beach with his hanger-on Maverick, that tells me that he likes the atmosphere that palm trees and being laid back can give him. He's not close to the homebody that the local yokels make him out to be.
But no matter what, I will keep my promise if he re-ups.
the number system is a coaching thing, it's what my coaches used when i played high school ball. i think its just easier to say "go run the three" than it is to always say "go play the small forward position"