Could Darius Garland be on the move? After a disappointing playoffs, the rumor mill is starting to heat up.
Rival executives believe the Cavs will ultimately have to choose between Garland and Donovan Mitchell, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. If Mitchell does get extended, then Charania writes Garland will “have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home.”
Garland is a good player who looked a lot better before Mitchell came to the team. Those two haven’t meshed well, in part because both players need the ball to be at their best. A fresh start could help him return to that All-Star form in which he averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game back in 2022.
There’s one landing spot above all others that makes the most sense for him. The Spurs need a young point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama, and they have the assets to trade for one. Here’s what a deal between the Cavs and Spurs would look like.
Darius Garland contract details
Garland just finished his first season of his five-year, $197 million fully guaranteed contract. He will make $36.7 million next season.
- 2024-25: $36.7 million
- 2025-26: $39.4 million
- 2026-27: $42.2 million
- 2027-28: $44.9 million
- 2028-29: Unrestricted free agent
Darius Garland Spurs trade
The trade:
Spurs get:
- Darius Garland
Cavs get:
- Keldon Johnson
- 2024 No. 8 pick
- 2026 first-round pick (lottery protected)
Why the Spurs do it
Every single move that the Spurs make going forward should be made with the thought of finding good young players that fit well alongside Wembanyama. It was glaringly obvious how lacking point guard play was on their team last year. They badly need someone who can stretch the floor and throw a lob pass. Trae Young has been rumored to be that guy, but Garland would be a much cheaper and younger option.
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Before Mitchell got to the Cavs, Garland was establishing himself as a terrific passer. He finished seventh in the league in total assists in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Big man Jarrett Allen was a part of that connection — he finished fourth and sixth in dunks in those two years. If Garland could turn Allen into an All-Star, imagine what he could do with a talent like Wemby.
Garland is also a great 3-point shooter, hitting 38.4 percent from deep for his career. He could help stretch the floor and create some much-needed scoring for a Spurs team that finished 26th in offense last season.
Garland’s No. 1 weakness is his size. He gives good effort but at just 6-foot-1, he can get picked on defensively. Wemby is going to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards and will be able to cover for him.
Garland is coming off a poor playoff series against the Celtics in which he shot just 40.2 percent from the field and disappeared in a number of games. That’s not the guy that he’s been in the past, and this is a fantastic buy-low opportunity for the Spurs.
The Spurs already have a ton of picks going forward, including this year’s No. 4 overall. Giving up a few in order to advance Wemby’s development and lock up the starting point guard spot is a worthy price to pay.
Why the Cavs do it
The Cavs need to break up their team. Mitchell is clearly the better player of their backcourt duo, so trading Garland makes a lot of sense.
This is one of the best packages that they will get for him. Keldon Johnson is a good young player on a reasonable contract who can give the team some much-needed punch. He’s not a great defender, but he can stretch the floor a little bit and get buckets.
The No. 8 pick is the real prize in this package. This is a weak draft, but there is zero consensus about the order of the top players. There is a very good chance that the best future pro goes in that middle-of-the-lottery range. The Cavs could get a chance at a better guard defender with size like Stephon Castle to pair next to Mitchell. Reed Sheppard is a steals magnet who is the best shooter in this class and could likely be available in that range as well.
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This trade would rebalance the Cavs’ starting lineup to make a lot more sense while giving them a much higher ceiling going forward. It could be a win-win for both sides.