Throughout the first two years of his career, you could say that Darius Garland was a bit of a mystery. The fifth overall pick from the 2019 draft only played four full games for Vanderbilt before suffering a knee injury that would keep him out his entire freshman season. However, the injury didn’t slow him down, and he declared for the draft after a small amount of time in college basketball. The Cleveland Cavaliers made him the fifth pick of what many viewed as a 2-3 player draft.
During his rookie season with the Cavaliers, he struggled out of the gates. He only averaged just over 12 points per game, and dished out less than four assists per game. On top of that, he only shot 40% from the field, and 35% from three-point range. According to some advanced statistics experts, Garland was actually the worst player in the entire league during his freshman campaign in the NBA. Cleveland.com reporter Chris Fedor had this to say about Garland’s rookie season:
"Garland was last in Win Shares, Value Over Replacement Player and ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus — a player’s estimated on-court impact on team performance, measured in net point differential per 100 offensive and defensive possessions that also takes into account teammates, opponents and other additional factors.”"
The former Vanderbilt guard had a more solid role and played better during his sophomore campaign with the Cavaliers. He upped his scoring average by 5.1 points to 17.4, and handed out over six assists per game. By the time the 2021-2022 season came around, Cavalier fans were expecting a much improved Garland. Well, to make a long story short, he came through.
Garland finished this past season scoring 21.7 points per game, and dishing out nearly nine assists per game. He was doing this with teammate Collin Sexton sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury. Garland thrived this past year on being the offensive leader, and player that the Cavs look to when they need a bucket. Hell, he even was selected to his first All-Star Game this past season, and it was played in Cleveland.
With all that being said, I think it’s time we start expecting a little bit more from Garland. Sure, he made a huge third-year leap to become a star, and led the Cavs to the play-in tournament, but he still has the ability to kick it into another gear. Last year he introduced himself as one of the best young point guards in the NBA, but he can accomplish even more.
So with pretty much everything on the table, let’s set one reasonable expectation for Garland, and a lofty one for next season.
One realistic expectation: Have 10+ assists in at least 45 games
For most of you who watched Garland last season, this might be a weird expectation. Garland was a scoring guard first and foremost last year, and we saw his entire offensive arsenal. When it comes to scoring, there’s not much the defense can do to stop Garland.
He has a quick first step, creates separation and rises for a shot incredibly fast, and can finish at any angle off the backboard. Having said that, while his scoring might go up this next year, the assist numbers are something I’m going to be looking closely at.
As the season continued, and Garland became more familiar with Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and any other number of teammates. That led to his assist numbers going up as well. Before this past season, Garland had only eclipsed the double-digit assist mark four times in his career. However, this past season, the former Vanderbilt guard had 32 games with 10 or more assists, and in March, he broke the team record for assists in a calendar month with 170. Cleveland was 18-14 when Garland had over 10 assists.
If he can continue to find ways to facilitate the offense by creating shots for himself, and for others, the Cavaliers should be very successful this next season.
Like I said earlier, the first thing people were looking at from Garland’s stats this past year will probably be his scoring and shooting splits. But, the hardest thing he must do, night in and night out, is find ways to make the others around him better, which will hopefully come with time.
Until then, I just hope we see a lot more of Garland’s lobs headed in the direction of Allen, or Mobley.
One lofty expectation: Be named to one of the All-NBA teams
Is Darius Garland really capable of being one of the best 15 players in the NBA in 2022-23? Personally I think it’s possible, but it’s also why the expectation is a lofty one.
Garland dazzled last season hitting mid-range jumpers, three-pointers, all while finishing at the rim. However, outside of his scoring threat, Garland isn’t the best defender, and has good playmaking skills, but not great in my opinion at this point. Being selected to one of the three All-NBA teams, means you are one of the best players in the league, let alone the world. So why not reach for the stars this coming season?
To look at how Garland can pull this off, all you need to do is watch Trae Young’s performance at the end of the 2020-21 season.
After taking out the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, Young and the Atlanta Hawks bounced the Philadelphia 76ers before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks. Young was one of the main reasons behind this explosion from Atlanta. He can hit shots from anywhere, and he’s an excellent playmaker. Unfortunately, on the defensive end he’s pretty much a ghost.
Regardless, after the 2021 postseason, he rolled that momentum into this past season, and it paid off as he was named to the All-NBA Third Team for his play in 2021-22.
DG can score in so many different ways, it’s hard to describe at times. But, after signing a huge rookie max contract extension this summer, the pressure on him to lead the Cavaliers to the actual playoffs will be fierce.
However, judging from Garland’s laid-back personality, his relentless energy and his love for hoops, making an All-NBA team is not that far-fetched.