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Warriors offer Anderson Varejao championship ring for last season, he accepts

2016 NBA Finals - Game Six

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: Anderson Varejao #18 of the Golden State Warriors warms up prior to Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on June 16, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Anderson Varejao played 14 games for the Golden State Warriors last season, after having been part of their Finals team down the stretch the season before. However, partway through last season, when Shaun Livingston was banged up, the Warriors waived Varejao to make room to sign Briante Weber, a D-League point guard who could provide some depth behind Stephen Curry.

When training camp opened this year, one of the topics the Warriors discussed was whether Varejao, now out of the league, deserved a ring. From the sportv.globo.com site in Brazil, via NBA Reddit.

“Two weeks ago I got a call from the Golden State and they told me that there was a vote between the players and the coaching staff, and they decided that it would be well deserved that I receive a ring for the time I spent with them.”

Varejao accepted the ring.

Which seems a fitting end for the 13-year NBA career of the Brazilian big man. He was a fan (and LeBron) favorite in Cleveland for a decade who finished his career with the Warriors. He averaged 7.3 points and 7.2 assists per game, made the NBA All-Defensive Team one season, and fans loved him for his hard-nosed style of play.

The Cavaliers had offered him a ring the season before when they won the title — he had played half a season for them before he was traded for Channing Frye in a three-team deal (Varejao went to Portland, but they waived him before he could put on a jersey). The Warriors picked up Varejao, and he said he did not accept the ring from the Cavs because he had played for the opposition on the Finals.

Now he has got one of his own.