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Anderson Varejao was traded to the Portland Trailblazers and subsequently waived on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016.

(cleveland.com Facebook photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers bid a bittersweet farewell to Anderson Varejao this week, trading him in a three-team deal that brought Channing Frye to Cleveland.

Varejao was subsequently waived by Portland, but due to NBA rules, he can't re-sign with the Cavaliers for 12 months. His career in Cleveland is effectively over.

"Few players have earned the respect, support and admiration of an entire organization, fan base and community as Andy did here," Cavs GM David Griffin said in a statement. "We thank Andy for his hard work, dedication and contributions to the Cavaliers and our community and wish him and his wife, Marcelle, the very, very best."

Varejao spent his entire 12-year with the Cavaliers. His constant hustle and mop-top hairstyle earned him the nickname "Wild Thing" as he became a nuisance for the opposing team and inspired a legion of curly wig-wearing fans.



Shortly after he was dealt, there was some chatter on social media that posted an interesting question: should Varejao's No. 17 be retired by the Cavaliers?

The "Cavs must retire Anderson Varejao's number," JoshReyes_ posted on Twitter.

"Varejao is top 10 in rebounds. Great guy. Great in community. Not close to retired number status," pronkville08 chimed in.

It's not an open and shut case as it may seem on the surface. Before deciding where you stand, let's look at both sides of the argument.

CASE FOR RETIRING HIS NUMBER

Varejao's name has slowly crept up in the lists of the Cavaliers' all-time leaders in several categories. He ranks seventh in games played (591), third in offensive rebounds (1,479), fifth in defensive rebounds (2,955), fifth in total rebounds (4,434), tied for seventh in blocks (397) and eighth in steals (529). His value, however, must be measured in more than stats. He was an emotional leader, providing inspiration to his teammates and fans with every loose ball he tracked down and every charge he took.

There's also a precedent for the Cavaliers retiring a player's number for their intangible contributions. Nate Thurmond's No. 42 hangs in the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena not for gaudy stats (5.0 points a game in two seasons), but for being the inspirational leader of the Miracle of Richfield team.

Finally, No. 17 is not a common uniform number in the NBA. Retiring it poses little risk as opposed to a more sought-after number.

CASE AGAINST RETIRING HIS NUMBER

Varejao was a reserve for most of his career, starting only about 35 percent of the time. When he did play, he was often hurt, missing at least 30 games due to injury in six of his 12 seasons. He only averaged more than double-figure points in two seasons, both of which were cut short by injury.

The retirement of Thurmond's number, ironically, could also be viewed as a detriment to hanging up Varejao's. The team might be looking to reserve the honor for more obviously deserving players. After all, this is a franchise that hasn't even retired World B. Free's number.

TAKE THE POLL

After reading the cases for and against, tell us if you'd like to see Varejao's No. 17 hanging in the rafters some day at Quicken Loans Arena.