Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao could be activated for the NBA Finals in case of emergency, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Varejao suffered a torn Achilles tendon on Dec. 23 in a matchup against the Timberwolves. He underwent surgery and was ruled out for the season. Five months later, he could return to action, though only if things go very bad for Cleveland.
The timeline to return from an injury like Varejao's is typically longer than that. It took Kobe Bryant nine months to get back on the court after his Achilles tear, for example. Rushing back would not be wise for a player who has struggled staying healthy for the past few years like the Brazilian center, but it appears to be a possibility.
The Cavaliers are thin up front since Kevin Love suffered a shoulder injury that will have him out for the year. Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson are taking most of the minutes at center. Kendrick Perkins and Brendan Haywood are on the roster but the two veterans are not in the rotation. If one more big man suffers an injury, Varejao could be activated, although he won't likely get many minutes.
Before his injury, Varejao was averaging 10 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes for Cleveland.