The Cleveland Cavaliers will have an easy time moving Darius Garland and his max contract if — or when — the time comes, right? Well, if the Trae Young saga has taught them anything, they may actually be in for a massive disappointment.
What the Atlanta Hawks are dealing with is not a one-to-one of what the Cavaliers should expect. The Hawks waited too long. Atlanta was unsure of whether they saw Young in their long-term future. In short, they played themselves.
Even so, the trade market for the four-time All-Star has not been robust in the slightest. Marc Stein reported the Washington Wizards emerged on Monday evening as a potential destination for Young. The framework of what the deal started with was a rough reality for the Hawks.
Stein wrote, "The teams, according to league sources, have been discussing a trade construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract. ... Sources tell The Stein Line that the Wizards have been actively exploring their trade options with McCollum."
Trae Young's lackluster trade return could spell doom for the Cavaliers and Darius Garland
The situation is actually worse than the initial statement there would have one believe. The NBA insider noted the Hawks would actually have to be the team sending draft capital to the Wizards for his contract to be absorbed.
Young has achieved more and peaked higher than Garland has in the NBA, with all due respect to the latter. If that is how Trae's deal is being treated in trade negotiations, that is not a good sign for the Cavaliers and their point guard at all.
The Hawks star guard is earning close to $46 million in 2025-26. That number is set to rise next season to about $49 million, assuming Young picks up his player option. The latter was something Stein suggested would happen.
By comparison, Garland is earning roughly $39.4 million this season. Next year that becomes about $42.2 million. 2027-28 would see that number climb to just shy of $44.9 million.
The figures here are in the same ball park for both players. What both stars bring to a team is not too dissimilar either.
Young could set the reference point for how teams handle trade talks with the Cavaliers, should they decide to ship Garland out of Cleveland in the near future. For Koby Altman's sake, he had better hope another team steps up with a better offer than what the Wizards are reportedly coming with for Trae.