Indians, Justin Masterson pause extension talks, focus on one-year deal
January 28, 2014Pettine’s staff needs a major piece to fall in place
January 28, 2014Rookie guard Carrick Felix is out for 6-8 weeks and Anderson Varejao is questionable for Tuesday’s game against New Orleans, the Cavaliers announced this afternoon.
Felix, the No. 33 pick in this June’s draft, left his game with the Canton Charge on Saturday. An MRI revealed a left patellar stress fracture in his left knee. He is out from all basketball activity for the time being.
The 23-year-old guard out of North Carolina State received three guaranteed years from the Cavaliers this offseason. After a solid performance in the Las Vegas Summer League, he’s played 26 minutes with the Cavs and 259 with the Charge in the D-League.
Varejao, the team’s heart and soul, had a scary incident on Sunday in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns. He rolled his left knee on another freak play, but the diagnosis is only a contusion and hyperextension. He will be fitted with a brace to hopefully play and is a 50-50 call for tonight’s contest.
The 30-year-old Brazilian stayed in the remainder of the terrible game on Sunday night. But he finished with just two points on 1-for-9 shooting. He’s averaging 10.4 points, 13.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in the last 16 games since Andrew Bynum’s suspension. He already has far surpassed his most minutes played since the 2009-10 season.
In the event Varejao cannot play, head coach Mike Brown stated that Tyler Zeller, the team’s second-year big man, would “most likely” get the start. Other options include Henry Sims and Tristan Thompson—the latter of which would force Earl Clark or No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett into extended time at the power forward spot.
[Related: Cavs provide another one for the record books]
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Photo: Scott Sargent/WFNY
5 Comments
Quick correction….Felix played at Arizona state.
Cancel the playoffs.
“Varejao, the team’s heart and soul …”
We wish, Jacob. Maybe he’s yours but clearly not the team’s, or they would play with intensity and passion and selflessness. Andy’s more like the team outlier.
“I didn’t know we still had a team”
And the hits just keep on coming.