2:31pm: The Cavaliers have been granted a hardship exception, tweets Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.
1:04pm: The Cavaliers have formally applied for a hardship exception, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
Unlike a disabled player exception – which gives teams extra cap flexibility and can only be used to replace a player who suffers a season-ending injury – a hardship exception allows a team to add a 16th player to its 15-man roster on a short-term basis. It can be granted by the league if a club has at least four players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to be out for at least two more weeks.
In Cleveland’s case, Dylan Windler (knee), Taurean Prince (ankle), and Matthew Dellavedova (neck) have all been sidelined for more than three games and are expected to miss the rest of the season. Larry Nance Jr. (thumb), Isaiah Hartenstein (concussion), and Lamar Stevens (concussion) have also missed the team’s last four games. Presumably, the Cavs expect at least one of Nance, Hartenstein, and Stevens to be out for the year as well, since the regular season ends in two weeks.
Assuming their request is granted, the Cavs intend to use the extra roster spot to sign veteran center Anderson Varejão. Varejão hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016/17 season, but Cleveland wants to give the 38-year-old an opportunity to play his final professional minutes with the franchise with which he spent more than a decade from 2004-16.
If the Cavs receive a hardship exception early in the week, the expectation is that Varejão will sign a 10-day contract.
Lol what?!?!
they should get zydrunas ilgauskas instead.
He played for the Cavs in 2016 before he was traded to Portland who then cut him.
After that the Warriors signed him before they went on to lose to the Cavs in the Finals. Strangely the Cavs offered him a ring, but he declined it since he was playing for the Warriors in the Finals. He did accept the one offered to him by Golden State the following year after he was released during the 2017 regular season.
A hardship exception for just this year, or as a franchise overall?
They certainly could use one after LeBron dumped them not once, but twice.
Their former King (James) is primarily responsible for 91 of their 105 postseason victories over the past 30 years. But after so many losing seasons before his arrival their older fans should already be quite accustomed to having a bottom dwelling team as they will remain for many years to come.
Varajao was popular for bringing energy and height to the Cavs off the bench… But when he got a starting job and bigger money and good effectiveness, he could not stay healthy. Most probably remember him for flopping, but actually he was kind of naturally floppy, so not misrepresenting.
Can’t wait to see what his hair looks like these days!