Cleveland Cavaliers: Anderson Varejao Out for Season with Torn Tendon in Ankle

In the midst of losing 20 of 21 games, many Cavalier fans (myself included) undoubtedly found themselves asking, "How could this season get any worse?"

Question asked, question answered.

The team announced yesterday that starting center Anderson Varejao would miss the rest of the season with a torn tendon in his right ankle.

Varejao initially suffered the injury after practice Thursday doing some running drills. He sat out Friday's game at Golden State and had a second MRI on Sunday that confirmed the tear.

The news comes as devastating for the team and its fans. Varejao has been a fan favorite his entire time in Cleveland, even more so this year as his hard-nosed, blue-collared approach on the court has always been embraced by the city.

The Cavs already had the league's worst record, and losing arguably their most valuable player isn't going to make the rest of the season go any smoother.

Varejao's name had appeared in several trade rumors over the last month, with teams like Portland and Oklahoma City expressing interest. But any speculation that the Cavs would part with their most valued player was put to rest with the announcement of this injury.

His absence leaves quite a hole in an already weak interior unit. Look for J.J. Hickson to see a lot more playing time at center, which could be beneficial for the third-year player out of North Carolina State. He has developed a few bad habits playing away from the hoop, and staying inside where he's forced to rebound and take more high-percentage shots can't hurt his progression at all.