Cavs: 2 ways an improved frame can pay dividends for Darius Garland

#1: For the Cavs, Garland should be more comfortable absorbing/initiating contact

The first area that jumps out about how Garland’s improved body/frame should pay dividends for him/the Cavs is that he should be more comfortable absorbing/initiating contact.

Garland only had 1.2 free throw attempts per outing in Year 1, and while the prior knee injury likely played into that, Garland being more toned up/put together should aid him in the paint on-ball. Garland reportedly looked shiftier in the Cavs mini-bubble, as Puskar demonstrated, and even last season, he did show the capability to change speeds off-the-bounce.

Now, the hope is, Garland can show more explosive quickness with him fully trusting his knee, to really help him off-the-bounce to create more separation consistently, at least in pick-and-roll situations.

But to me, in the paint and/or as a cutter at times near the basket, with Garland having a more put-together frame, that should aid him in being more comfortable absorbing/initiating contact, as it did for Collin Sexton last season it seemed. Garland only converted on 44.1 percent of his shot attempts in the restricted area, per NBA.com’s shooting data, which was far from stellar.

This frame development shouldn’t hurt his efforts there, though. And in turn, he should have more free throw trips, of which he hit at a 87.5 percent clip, if he shows more willingness to absorb/initiate contact.

Regarding the on-ball/shooting realm, too, if Garland gets bigs switched out on to him at times, also factoring in likely more shiftiness, perhaps he can get them chasing, and get to the line that way. Or by them closing out in an undiscplined manner, conversely, Garland could draw free throws via the pull-up game.

I’d imagine that off the ball, too, Garland’s efforts in getting through bumps as a cutter when he needs to relocate/get through the paint should be aided, too.

The same could hopefully hold true, at least to an extent, in his navigation of getting through off-ball screens on the defensive end to be more in proper position to stay with his primary matchups. That’s if the communication needed is there.

Secondly, the other key way this improved body/frame should pay off for Garland next season/looking onward is in the open floor.