Without Darius Garland's All-Star breakout season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, none of the team's recent success would be possible.
Following LeBron James' 2018 departure, the Cavs entered a drastic rebuild after competing in the Finals. The first glimmer of hope in Cleveland was electric scoring guard Collin Sexton. The next offseason, the Cavs added Garland, a player who was overlooked after missing the majority of his lone season at Vanderbilt ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft.
The young backcourt struggled to find traction together. Garland was deemed the worst player in the Association after his rookie year. With All-Star appearances and a maximum extension under his belt since his inaugural NBA campaign, envisioning Garland as anything but an outright star seems an impossibility. In the 2021-22 season, Garland took his first All-Star leap when Sexton missed nearly the full season, allowing Darius to become the cornerstone of the franchise.
Cleveland reached the Play-In Tournament after falling to the bottom tier of the Eastern Conference for three straight seasons. Garland's breakout year and then-rookie Evan Mobley turned the Cavs from a suffering franchise into a growing young contender.
The sudden leap from the Cavaliers inspired a major, unforeseen blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell late into the offseason to build a core four of Garland, Mobley, Mitchell and Jarrett Allen.
After three seasons together, the star who started everything for the Cavaliers might be the first one to say goodbye.
Cleveland is open to trading Garland
ESPN insider and Akron native Brian Windhorst reported that the Cavaliers have shifted their perspective on Garland's Cleveland future. With the second apron and its haunting limitations looming and two embarrassing exits in the second round, the Cavs could be aggressive to get better this offseason.
While Windhorst specified the Cavaliers are not actively shopping Garland, the front office is accepting calls and engaging in discussions. Alone, Windhorst's report might not be a complete indicator of the Cavs' offseason intentions. Shortly before his interview with ESPN Cleveland, local Cavs insider Chris Fedor broke open the discussion after writing that both Garland and Allen are no longer considered untouchable.
Neither report suggests Garland is on the trade block. He may be on the roster by the time the 2024-25 season opens, but Cleveland's changing outlook is in stark contrast to their offseason approach last year. In the midst of heated rumors that Garland's agency would request and attempt to force a trade out of Cleveland, the Cavs refused to part with their All-Star point guard. Every report said the front office had no interest in losing him, and it would take a request to make that change.
Now, though, the Cavaliers are exploring changes that could offer financial flexibility and add complementary players to center the roster around Mitchell and Mobley, the only untouchables this summer. In any potential Garland trade, Cleveland must emphasize the value the two-time All-Star provides. He is a surgical passer, splitting defenses with timely passes and quick decision making. His three-point shooting ignites the court.
Losing Garland means taking the next step for the franchise without the driving force behind it all. Without the breakout season Garland enjoyed, Cleveland would have never been in a position to chase the Mitchell blockbuster. Mobley would have not enjoyed the benefits of a selfless passer helping him become a star rookie coming out of USC.
Unfortunately, the Cavaliers must accept the reality of the second apron tax restrictions and the redundancy of an undersized backcourt and oversized frontcourt that has stagnated Cleveland in the postseason. Looking at Allen trades, his team-friendly $20 million contract makes it nearly impossible to seek equal talent in return. If the Cavs feel the need to shift the core composition, Garland's $39 million price tag and proven talent could yield a much greater haul for the Cavaliers.
Every success the Cleveland Cavaliers have enjoyed in the modern era traces back to Garland's leadership and stardom. That cannot change the truth Cleveland faces. A Garland trade may prove to be a necessary evil for the Cavs to reach their fullest potential in the playoffs.