After reading about his team's reported interest in signing the newly released free agent Power Forward Charlie Villanueva,  the Cavaliers current PF, Anderson Varejao, announced that he will be opting out of his deal with Cleveland to test the free agent market as well.  If by opting out he's asking who do you want more, him or me? that answer is Villanueva...sorry Andy.  If your Danny Ferry, and you can get both these guys, I am all for it, but if you have to pick one, there's no question you let Varejao walk in favor of Twitter's favorite NBAer.

Facts and Figures:  

Charlie Villanueva's salary last season was $3.4 million, and for the season, he averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds, in 27 minutes per game for the Bucks. 

Anderson Varejao was slated to make $6.2 million this year if he opted in. He averaged 8.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season, while being the Cavaliers best interior defender.  

More on Varejao...

I appreciate what Varejao did for the Cavaliers last season, and could do next year, but if he wants much more than the $6.2 mil he was slated to make this season, I'd tell him to go get that somewhere else.  While he does hustle, take charges, and rebound (at 7' tall he doesn't block shots which is kinda weird) he is only serviceable at best offensively, and downright frightening at times on an off-night.  His 8.6 points per game don't quite do his ineffectiveness justice on the offensive end, because most nights teams leave him completely open all game long, helping off him in hopes to slow the other players on the floor down - no matter who's in. 

More on Villanueva...

What Vilanueva can add is exactly what was missing from the Cavaliers in their attempts to match up with the Magic this past series.  A long and athletic perimeter player may have shifted the balance of the series in the Cavaliers favor.  Villanueva, for instance, could have possibly covered Rashard Lewis on the last second shots he hit against the Cavaliers former PF's, Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace respectively.  And while LeBron, Mo, Shaq, Delonte, and Z, will undoubtedly get their touches, I would be interested to see what Chuck V's numbers would look like if those (27) minutes were extended into the (30) plus range.  He has a decent mid-range jumper, and shot it 35% from three this past season as well.  

As mentioned, if Ferry can sign them both great.  But if its not Cleveland that ends up signing Andy, I just hope the team that gets him, doesn't do so after he gains an extra (30) pounds lounging on the shores of Brazil during the first half of the regular season like he did two years ago. 

Other Free Agent Notable Headlines:

Boozer and Okur exercise options and choose to stay with Jazz.

 Even if the Yao injury proves to be season ending, Artest wants to re-sign with Rockets.

Blazers are in lead  to sign Hedo Turkoglu

Sportswriter Roland Lanzenby posted on his Twitter account that LeBron and Bosh plan to sign with the same team in a year from now when the two are free agents.   

In search of a logical explanation for the Cavaliers' 1st Round selection of G/F Christian Eyenga, this is the only scenario that makes sense to me...

Danny Ferry and Mike Brown are sitting in Dan Gilbert's office at 2am Thursday morning.  Upon finalizing the deal that brings Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland, Gilbert breaks out a bottle up bubbly, and the three partake in a celebratory glass of Chandon.  One glass turns into two, two turn into shots of Jagerbombs, Jagerbombs turn into LeBron Bombs, and before you know it, sugar is flying all over the room, and the Cavalier Girls have joined the party.  A couple Cavs Girls are dancing on the desk, and the rest are dancing all over the office, as Dan Gilbert begins playing the Bongos.  Next thing you know, the whole day has gone by, when the song Locomotion comes on.  The Cavalier Girls form a line behind Gilbert, and begin to follow him around the room chanting 'bongo, bongo' as the owner wails away on the drums, leading the train for the locomotion dance.  David Stern then calls the office, telling the trio that it is time to now make their 1st Round Selection.  Wearing a lampshade on his head, Mike Brown comes up to Danny Ferry, who at this point has tied his tie around his forehead, and says 'Danny, so here are our options for the 30th pick.  We could take Sam Young, Dajuan Summers, DeJuan Blair, Nick Calathes, Dante Cunningham, or this kid from the Congo.'  Upon hearing a word that rhymes with 'bongo,' Dan Gilbert and the Cavalier Girls stop their locomotion dancing, and start yelling out 'Congo,Congo'.  'Take the kid from the Congo, Ferry, that would be hilarious,' says Gilbert.  Ferry, then looks over to Mike Brown, and his lampshade, shrugs his shoulders, and says 'what the hell Mike, Congo it is!'  Ferry gets on the horn, and tells Stern, 'we want the kid from the Congo!'  With that, he hangs up the phone, and the coach and GM hop into the back of the line behind the Cavalier Girls, and continue the party, as the bongo beats long into the night.

Since the Cavaliers got bounced by the MOP's Magic crew the talk has been about who the Cavaliers were going to get.  Villanueva twittered his name into the rumor mill, then it was Slam Magazine offering us Rasheed Wallace, then Pro Basketball News said Mike Brown was going to get fired and we were going to get Riley, then Shaq, then nothing...and what if that's who Cleveland signs this offseason.  Nobody.  I have to tell you, I hope that's not the case, but its looking more and more possible.  I thought Szerbiak's contract was supposed to be worth its weight in gold?  Couldn't move that at the deadline.  And now Wallace has a contract everybody wants.  Everybody except the Nets apparently, because Richard Jefferson sure would have looked good in Wine and Gold if you ask me.  I am not saying they won't make a move, I am just saying they are making me nervous.  Deals are being made.  Players are being dealt.  Picks are being swapped.  And so far Cleveland is sitting there a bizillion dollars over the luxury tax, not doing anything.  Maybe it will happen tomorrow night, whatever it is.

Shaquille O'Neal talk aside, the Cavaliers need to come out of Thursday's NBA draft with a rotation player that can help this roster next season.  Who is that player you ask?  I am not sure I can tell you that.  But what I can do, is look back at draft picks gone by, and tell you who they should have taken...and imagine that guy standing next to LeBron in the parade we never had last week...Anyways, I digress, and present you with the 2004 NBA draft:

With the 10th pick, of the 2004 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select...Luke Jackson, Oregon.

- and that would be the highlight of Luke's NBA career.  Current whereabouts of Jackson are unknown -

The following (4) picks may have been better:

Al Jefferson - 15th overall

Josh Smith - 17th overall

J.R. Smith - 18th overall

Jameer Nelson - 20th overall

But who's to say for sure...