Much praise - and criticism - has been lauded at the Cleveland Cavaliers' undersized backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.
The pair have achieved great success, earning All-Star appearances and playoff runs together since joining forces in 2022. Mitchell's leadership and prolific scoring has made him the first Cavalier since 2018 to be named to the All-NBA roster, and Garland's offensive orchestration has helped build a fluid and dynamic offense in Cleveland.
Defensively, both guards have serious disadvantages, and the earliest seasons together seemed to suffer from a lack of attention to the defensive end. While neither player is a perfect defender, the effort is present, giving the Cavs' an improved look on perimeter defense.
What really has made the star duo beneficial for Cleveland is a lack of any ego between the two, sharing the offensive leadership rather than battling for control. Both players have been willing to take a step back from on-ball creation when sharing the court, leaning into off-ball movement and chasing the open shot rather than dribbling for an entire shot clock.
The Cavaliers felt the true impact of Garland's absence in the last playoff run. When Garland was sidelined with a major toe sprain that eventually required surgery, Cleveland's offense stagnated with no other persistent playmaker to take his place. Though Ty Jerome's scoring had uplifted the Cavs in the regular season, his tunnel vision and inattentive defense left a Garland-sized hole in Cleveland's postseason gameplan.
Lonzo Ball is what the Cavaliers' backcourt needs
In the offseason, the Cavaliers addressed that concern, adding veteran guard Lonzo Ball to the roster as an ideal backup for Garland. Ball is one of the smartest point guards in the NBA, and he also provides remarkable defense and rebounding talent as a strong 6-foot-6 point guard, as well.
Throughout his career, Ball has demonstrated undeniable leadership qualities, has improved his scoring and shooting, maintained defensive prowess and has come back from one of the longest injury absences in recent NBA history. While Lonzo's health will always be a question, his arrival in Cleveland not only improves the backcourt but also significantly increases the reliability in the Cavs' free-flowing offensive approach.
If there is any singular point guard to bring off the bench who can feed the ball to shooters and big men, it is Lonzo Ball. Presumed Cavs sixth man De'Andre Hunter will thrive off Ball's quick reads and decisive passes, and his intelligent coordination can help elevate sophomore Jaylon Tyson. Pairing Ball with Evan Mobley can escalate Mobley's star status, giving him another ideal lob partner.
These attributes of Lonzo Ball mirror the offensive playmaking qualities that were so painfully missed with Garland's injury just a few months earlier. Cleveland's explicit focus on building up the point guard depth proves a shift in perspective from the front office, but it also solidifies Garland's place with the franchise.
Cleveland's commitment to Garland is definite now
Since Mitchell's arrival, rumors have swirled and smoke has risen about a potential Garland trade. As playoff defeats continued to pile, questions about the long-term fit of two offensive-minded smaller guards also stacked. The Cavs even seemingly entertained the notion this summer during the Kevin Durant saga, although the team never actively shopped Garland.
Given the Cavaliers' focus on playmaking depth, trading Garland is becoming close to an impossibility. While many guards can pass to an open shooter or cutter, Darius' innate talent as a floor general kickstarted the modern Cavaliers era. His breakout All-Star season gave Cleveland the first piece of postseaon play since LeBron James' 2018 exit.
The Cavs clearly value the benefits of a proven playmaking point guard. Garland is among the top of the league's distributors, and the addition of Lonzo Ball only proves further how important that skill is for this team's future. Perhaps more than any other move by the team in recent years, the Ball trade confirms that Garland is coveted by the franchise and is here to stay.
Trades may eventually tear apart the core four if postseason failures mount, but for now, the Cleveland Cavaliers have no reasonable interest in trading Darius Garland. The All-Star point guard is the offensive engine, creating opportunities to make all of his teammates better. Missing that in the playoffs made Lonzo Ball a necessity, which in turn makes Garland that much more irreplaceable.