Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers looking for a big man after Birdman suffers torn ACL

Published Dec. 16, 2016 11:41 p.m. ET

Andre Vergara

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking for a backup big man after Chris "Birdman" Andersen tore the ACL in his right knee Friday at practice.

The Cavs announced that Andersen, who joined the defending champs on a one-year deal after Timofey Mozgov left for the Lakers, will need season-ending surgery.

Andersen, 38, was averaging 2.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 9.5 minutes in 12 games. Among the free agents available to take his place: Kendrick Perkins, who played for the Cavs in 2015 and gave them similar stats as they went to the Finals, and Brendan Haywood, who also was a member of that same Cavs team but played even less and didn't see any action in the playoffs.

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