Cavs: 3 positive takeaways from Darius Garland’s rookie year so far

Darius Garland’s had his growing pains, but the Cleveland Cavaliers guard has shown plenty of promise in his rookie campaign to this point.

While we all wait on a final word on if the NBA season is going to resume or not, all we can do is sit and wait patiently and reminisce on the fun season we had prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic and think about what should be happening in heart of the NBA playoffs right now. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, the narrative is a bit different.

Before the league was put on pause, the Cavaliers were sitting at a scary 19-46 with everyone knowing they are in the middle of a slow and steady rebuild. One of the big pieces to the rebuild? Cavaliers rookie guard Darius Garland.

Averaging 30.9 minutes per game, Garland is sitting on 12.3 points per game on 40.1 percent from the field, as well as averaging 3.9 assists per game.

While he has had a somewhat bumpy and up and down rookie year, looking at the positives of something, especially in a time like this, can be quite satisfying. So what have been three positive takeaways from Garland’s rookie season thus far?

#3: Court vision

As many of you watch the Cavaliers in-game, one thing you notice is that the Cavaliers’ other starting guard in Collin Sexton has raw court vision that while may need a lot of work has been improving a ton, and even more so in games right before the pause in play.

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Garland, however, has had solid court vision ever since coming into the league, while spacing the floor well and has been finding the open guy the vast majority of the time.

It is clear as day that Garland and center Tristan Thompson have a clear connection, especially in the pick-and-roll. It seems as if Garland has a special connection with every guy on the floor when he is out there; and I am talking screens, backdoor cuts, everything.

With that being the case, even with Thompson on an expiring contract and seemingly having a good chance of playing elsewhere next season, Garland’s rapport with a variety of players should pay off.

Garland is averaging just under four assists so far in his rookie campaign, making him the lead assist man for the Cavaliers.

Again, while Sexton is still improving and has a lot of work to do in this category, it is a luxury to have a sharpshooter mixed with a solid passer.