Cleveland Cavaliers Legacy: 3 greatest Point Guards in franchise history
In the grand scheme of the NBA and the former ABA, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a relatively short history. Founded in 1970, the Cavs are the 10th-youngest team in the Association.
Through 54 years, the Cavaliers have continually been one of the Eastern Conference's top contenders, battling head-to-head with the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls in the 1990's before becoming one of the most dominant forces with the arrival of LeBron James in 2003. Cleveland earned their lone NBA Championship in 2016, upsetting the greatest regular season team of all time, the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.
Despite a short history, numerous Cavaliers have earned unforgettable legacies in Cleveland basketball. As the next season approaches, let's take time to appreciate the greatest players to usher in the best eras of Cleveland hoops.
Rather than listing every player, this article offers a deeper dive into the best Cavaliers point guards in history. Whether the floor general, offensive maestro or a top scoring option, these Cavs have built tremendous reputations among the fanbase for their All-Star skillsets and definitive presence.
Point Guard No. 3 - Darius Garland (2019 - )
As the founding player of the modern Cavaliers era, Darius Garland's breakout third season placed the Cavs back into prominence after James' 2018 exit.
Before Donovan Mitchell came to The Land, Garland was the top name in the city, earning the first All-Star appearance for the franchise in nearly half a decade. In his third season, Garland burst into stardom, averaging 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game while shooting 38.3 percent from deep on 6.7 attempts each night. His confident scoring forced defenders to collapse on every drive, which then allowed Garland to kick out to an open shooter or dump the ball off to a waiting Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley for an easy dunk.
Since his breakout year, Garland has continually cemented his spot in Cavaliers history, keeping up his dynamic passing and jaw-dropping shooting. Earlier last season, Garland became just the third Cleveland Cavalier to reach 5,000 or more points and 2,000 or more assists with the franchise before turning 25 years old.
While injury woes and a lessened role have placed Garland's Cavaliers future in question at times, the franchise and Garland set rumors to rest. As he approaches his sixth season with the Cavs, fans hope to see a reinvigorated Garland. His leadership and star talent have already placed him in the upper echelon of Cavs guards.
Despite a short career thus far, Garland is undeniably one of the greatest ball handlers in team history, and his passing has surpassed almost every predecessor in the wine and gold. His court visions and dimes have earned comparisons to legendary NBA point guards, including two-time MVP Steve Nash.
Only time and experience will define Garland's final placement in Cavaliers history. In just five years, though, it is a nearly impossible feat to find three names more deserving of a place on this list.