Cavaliers: Top Rookie of the Year competitors for Darius Garland

Cleveland Cavaliers’ rookie Darius Garland has high expectations for this upcoming NBA season as he was a top-five draft pick. Who are his main competitors for Rookie of the Year?

The expectations on Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Darius Garland are enormous, and rightfully so, as he was the number five overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Cavaliers fans will be expecting Garland to come in and contribute immediately and be in the running for the NBA Rookie of the Year award right from the opening tip of the season.

Garland, however, will not be without challengers. He has a few things working against him. First of all, the Cavs will not be competitive.

While that isn’t as huge of a factor for Rookie of the Year, as it is for say the MVP award, it can factor into tiebreakers.

Secondly, he will be working off the ball a bit when he shares the backcourt with Collin Sexton. Garland is used to having the ball in his hands in order to be effective.

Lastly, he will have his usage eaten into by Kevin Love and the aforementioned Sexton. If Garland can be the most efficient rookie in the NBA he will have a great shot at being named Rookie of the Year.

Adjusting to the NBA will be a challenge to Garland, as it is any rookie. As KJG’s Josh Friedman touched on, the Cavaliers’ toughest stretch is in January, and that’s where rookies start to show a little bit of wear from playing a much more demanding schedule than they do in college.

There are five other rookies who should be favored in the ROY race. The first should come as no surprise to anyone, Zion Williamson.