INDEPENDENCE — Anderson Varejao was nowhere near Cavaliers training camp this time last year.
The energetic Brazilian was back home, running, lifting and waiting for a new contract with the Cavaliers to get ironed out. Both sides were far apart. Two and a half months would pass before a deal was finally reached.
Fast forward to this week. Varejao has been in camp with the Cavaliers since Day 1. No negotiations hang over him or the team.
The 6-foot-10 forward is anxious to take advantage of what preseason offers, a luxury he did not come close to having last year.
“Everybody knows I got here late,” Varejao said. “Now I’m going to start the season from the beginning. Preseason is a very important thing for me, for the players.”
Last season was somewhat of a lost year for Varejao. It began with his holdout and ended with a left ankle injury he was slow to recover from.
Varejao went into the 2007 offseason a restricted free agent, but not many suitors were enamored with the asking price. The Memphis Grizzlies showed some interest before they chose to sign 2003 lottery pick Darko Milicic.
The Cavaliers ultimately matched a three-year, $17 million offer sheet Varejao received from Charlotte. He saw his first action Dec. 11 against Indiana, the team’s 22nd game of the regular season.
“It’s much better to start the season with everybody,” Varejao said. “Preseason is good. That’s when you practice. That’s when you have the exhibition games and everything to try to improve.
“It’s important for me. And I’m excited.”
Getting up to speed was not the hardest thing after the holdout ended.
Varejao kept in shape by working out with his brother in Brazil. He played with confidence after he rejoined the Cavaliers and averaged 13 points and 13 rebounds off the bench during one three-game stretch.
“I felt really comfortable,” Varejao said. “My game was showing up.”
Varejao, however, suffered a setback in late January when he sprained his ankle in a game against the Lakers. He was inactive for a month, but never close to 100 percent the rest season.
The injury also prevented Varejao from playing for Brazil in an Olympic qualifier. Surprisingly, he received criticism in his own country for sitting out the qualifier and rehabbing his ankle.
“What was tougher for me is the media in Brazil didn’t know what was going on,” Varejao said. “I didn’t know why. Everybody started talking like I didn’t want to play for the national team. That was tough. Brazil is a soccer country. Basketball is not that big, so they didn’t really know what was going on.
“The good thing is I took care of my ankle with a lot of exercise and rehab. And I feel pretty good.”
Varejao said the ankle is still swelled a little, but not as bad as it was.
He worked on his jump shot in the offseason and hopes to impact the Cavaliers the way he did two years ago when they went to the NBA Finals.
“Everywhere I played, I just tried to find a way to be important to the team,” Varejao said. “Here is no different. What I have to do to be important is play with energy, rebound and be ready on offense every time I have a chance to do anything.
“I think it’s going to be a different season for me. I don’t know why but it’s going to be different.”
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Related Photos
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ANDERSON VAREJAO (right), shown having some fun with Cavaliers teammate LeBron James at the team’s media day Monday, is in a much better frame of mind entering this season than he was a year ago, when he held out in a contract dispute. AP
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Discussion
Varejao ready to go
Cavaliers forward anxious to get preseason going
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