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Ranking the Cavs’ top 5 players ahead of the 2022-23 season

By Will Holtz

Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen of Team Cavs celebrate during the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. (Photo by Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)
Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen of Team Cavs celebrate during the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. (Photo by Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports) /
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Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports) /

#1 – Darius Garland

Darius Garland is fresh off of signing the largest contract in Cavs franchise history and is ready to prove that last seasons’ All-Star campaign was not a fluke.

Garland is simply a superstar in the making, and his numbers finally backed it up in 2022. The 22-year-old averaged 21.7 points per game and the sixth-most assists per game in the NBA with 8.6. In just his third season in the league, he became the second player in Cavaliers history to average at least 20 points and 8 assists per game in a season. The other player? LeBron James.

What’s even more impressive is the stretch he was on to end the season. Garland averaged 24.8 points and 10 assists per game in the 21 games after All-Star Weekend (An All-Star Weekend in which he participated in the Skills Challenge and All-Star Game). If those numbers don’t scream “best player on the team”, than I don’t know what does.

All in all, Darius Garland has shown the impact he has on the team and it’s rather simple to break down. When he’s on the court, the Cavs are a winning team. When he’s off the court, the Cavs are a losing team. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

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If Garland can pick up where he left off last season, it’s only a matter of time before the Cavs break through the playoff wall without the help of LeBron James.