Warriors big man Anderson Varejao may have only seen the floor for all of two minutes during the Warriors’ Game 7 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. But he may have emerged the biggest winner of all.
With the Warriors advancing to the NBA Finals for a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Varejao, who played the first 12 years of his NBA career with the Cavs and started the 2015-16 season with them, could already be guaranteed an NBA championship ring no matter how the series plays out.
The 33-year-old Varejao had been with Cleveland since his rookie season in 2004, but was unceremoniously traded to the Blazers in February to make room for the Cavaliers to acquire Channing Frye. Varejao was promptly waived by Portland and wound up signing with the Warriors.
Varejao is apparently the first player in NBA history to play for both Finals teams in the same season, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
Did Anderson Varejão just clinch a ring?
He's the 1st player to ever play for both Finals teams in the same season. pic.twitter.com/7zoJFoxgUt
— ESPN (@espn) May 31, 2016
The Brazilian has yet to win a championship in his decade-plus of NBA existence. While he would obviously get a ring should the Warriors repeat as NBA champions, if Cleveland emerges victorious, they could still give Varejao a symbolic ring given his longtime service to the Cavs and the fact that he began the year with them.
For an aging veteran who has played a grand total of 52 minutes so far this postseason, it’s not a bad deal at all.
Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
