INDEPENDENCE — The Cavaliers went into the NBA free-agent period at 12:01 a.m. today wanting to add a player or two and keep one of their own.
As expected, Cleveland power forward Anderson Varejao opted out of the final year of his contract, which would have paid him $6.2 million in 2009-10, and became an unrestricted free agent.
Also as expected, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas did not terminate the final year of his deal, which means he is under contract for $11.54 million next season.
Varejao and agent Dan Fegan, who did not return phone calls, will likely seek a four-year deal that starts somewhere in the
$8 million-a-year range.
When Varejao was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2007, sometimes acrimonious negotiations between Fegan and Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry resulted in the power forward missing the start of the 2007-08 season.
Fegan and Ferry have mended fences and agreed to let bygones be bygones, but both sides will once again be looking out for their best interests.
In addition to the Cavaliers, who have no salary-cap restrictions in regards to Varejao, teams with enough cap space to give the 6-foot-11, 260-pounder what he will likely be seeking are Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Portland and possibly Toronto.
The Pistons, however, are likely to go after a high-level free agent, while the Hawks appear more interested in Milwaukee Bucks unrestricted free agent Charlie Villanueva, who is also a player the Cavaliers like a lot.
The 6-11, 232-pound Villanueva, who played with Cleveland point guard Mo Williams in Milwaukee and with superstar LeBron James in the 2003 McDonald’s All-American High School Game, has hinted he’s interested in joining the Cavaliers, but the most the club can offer is the mid-level exception, which is expected to be between $5.6 million and $5.8 million.
Villanueva’s agent, Jeff Schwartz – he also represents unrestricted free agent Jason Kidd, who is reportedly scheduled to meet with the New York Knicks today – did not return phone calls.
Another player the Cavaliers are extremely interested in, shooting guard Anthony Parker, is reportedly receiving offers from Olympiakos, his former team in Greece.
The 6-6 Parker, who averaged 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists for Toronto last season, has the kind of size and athleticism the Cavaliers are looking to add on the wing, but it will likely take most of the mid-level to land him.
That means Ferry will have to determine who he wants more, Villanueva or Parker, because there’s no way the Cavaliers will be able to sign both. The GM will also have to consider which player he has a better chance of landing, because there’s a chance another team could offer Villanueva more than the mid-level.
All along, the Cavaliers have made it clear they want Varejao back, but if he gets what Ferry considers an outlandish offer from another team, Cleveland may have to let the Brazilian get away.
“Andy is someone who had a very good year,” Ferry said after the Cavaliers were eliminated by Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals. “He worked very hard coming into this year. His body was in great physical shape. We want him on our team next year.”
Varejao, who will turn 27 in late September, averaged 8.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in the 2008-09 regular season, but had his minutes cut in the playoffs and slipped to 6.9 and 6.4, respectively.
The Cavaliers love Varejao’s energy and ability to wreak havoc on the defensive end, but he’s probably more suited to coming off the bench than starting, especially in Cleveland.
Villanueva, Rasheed Wallace or even Antonio McDyess, all unrestricted free agents, would provide the outside shooting and perimeter defense the Cavaliers lacked with Varejao or the departed Ben Wallace on the floor.
Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4061 or rickn@ohio.net.

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