Cavs: Best and worst-case scenarios for Darius Garland in 2021-22

Last season was a true step forward for young Cleveland Cavaliers lead guard Darius Garland.

For a number of reasons, most notably him reportedly still not being himself mentally and physically because of a prior meniscus injury that cut short his lone collegiate season at Vanderbilt, Garland underwhelmed in his rookie year.

Then, he had 12.3 points and 3.9 assists per contest, and while I didn’t think it was that rough, he hit 35.5 percent of his three-point attempts. In Year 2, though, as many Cavs fans would attest, we saw the real DG stand up and show out for the Wine and Gold.

Last year, Garland had 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per contest, and he connected on a robust 39.5 percent of his three-point attempts. The shiftiness, quickness, dazzling handle, great vision and deep range were on display regularly from Garland in Year 2, and it’s apparent that Garland looks to be the present and future at the 1 for Cleveland.

Between him and Collin Sexton, while the two need to keep demonstrating further growth and the team overall needs to take the next steps toward the postseason this coming season, of which I believe they will, Garland and Sexton look to be a formidable duo.

Back on the subject of Garland for the Cavs, though, I’m hoping that we’ll see him build on last season’s success. Part of that, and the same goes for Sexton to a degree, is for both to lean more into three-point shooting, and I think they will. Plus, the Cavaliers are reportedly are stressing for both to take a higher volume of those looks from here.

Anyway, so overall for Garland, how could he keep showing further growth? Or how could there be a potential downslide, conversely, this next season for him?

Cavs: To that point, we’ll take a look at the best and worst-case scenarios for Garland in 2021-22.

First, I’ll suggest my best-case for DG in Year 3.