What Makes Darius Garland An Intriguing Trade Target, Cavs Opinion

There have already been a lot of shocking reports and revelations since the Cleveland Cavaliers season came to a close last week.

Not even an hour after they were eliminated by the Boston Celtics, a report from The Athletic detailed that Darius Garland’s camp may look seek a trade if Donovan Mitchell decides to stay in Cleveland.

Garland could draw a lot of interest from opposing teams if this were to come to fruition. One report from Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer even suggested that he could be coveted more than Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young by some teams.

But what makes DG such an intriguing trade target?

All-Star Point Guard

DG proved himself to be one of the top point guards in the NBA during the 2021-22 when he was named an All-Star for the Eastern Conference.

Garland averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals while shooting 38% from the three and 46% from the floor during this season. This breakout was one of the main reasons the Cavs were put back on the basketball map.

The point guard’s stats and usage have slightly declined since this season, but this was only two years ago and Garland is still just 24 years old. That All-Star guard is still in there somewhere and teams could be eager to tap into it.

Future Team Control

The contract status of a possible trade candidate is growing more and more important in today’s NBA. Garland's current contract status is something that could be important to teams willing to give up assets to trade for him.

Garland signed a five-year, $193 million extension with the Cavaliers after his All-Star season. This remains the richest contract in franchise history.

This deal will keep him under team control through the 2027-28 season which could intrigue any team that wants to trade for Garland with the intention of making him their future franchise point guard.

Feb 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports | Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Playmaking With Another Star

Any team looking to trade for Garland will want to pair him with another star, likely a big man. DG is averaging 6.7 assists a game through his first five seasons in the league demonstrating his playmaking ability when running an offense.

This is why teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves (per Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid) and San Antonio Spurs (per NBA Analysis' Grant Afseth) are reportedly interested in acquiring Garland.