Darius Garland Could Receive Max Extension From Cavaliers

Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Trade Rumors
NBA Analysis Network

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the more surprising teams thus far in the 2021-22 NBA season. They are currently 16-12 on the season as J.B. Bickerstaff has his guys buying in and competing every night.

Cleveland has battled some adversity this season as Ricky Rubio is the only player to have appeared in all 28 games thus far. Despite that, the team has continued finding ways to win games.

Collin Sexton being sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a meniscus tear will be tough to overcome, but others have stepped up in his place. Cleveland is one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, running teams off of the 3-point line and forcing them to score over the dynamic defensive duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the frontcourt.

Offensively, things haven’t gone as smoothly for the Cavaliers. Losing Sexton, who averaged 24.3 points per game last season, is a big blow. They take a team-first approach, as no one has reached the 20-point per game plateau, but nine players average at least 8.4 points per game.

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While they could use a little more of a scoring punch, the organization has to be happy knowing they have Darius Garland running the show. Garland is in his third season in the NBA and we are watching his game blossom before our very eyes.

He has made strides every season with the Cavaliers and is beginning to break out this season. Winning more games is also helping him get noticed, as people are beginning to pay attention to what is happening in Cleveland.

At 21-years old, he is only scratching the surface of his potential. According to The Athletic, there is a real chance that Garland receives the max extension that he is eligible for this upcoming offseason.

“A breakout season amid the Cavaliers’ surprising 16-12 start to the season in which they are challenging for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference: Point guard Darius Garland. The 21-year-old has put his entire game together in his third NBA season, averaging 19 points, 7.6 assists, three rebounds, and 1.3 steals while shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range. Garland, a possible All-Star candidate, is eligible for a five-year, $181.2 million maximum contract extension in July.”

While there was some uncertainty surrounding Sexton’s future with the team, as he was eligible for an extension this past summer, there shouldn’t be the same hesitation when it comes to Garland. His game is developing as the organization would hope and he is a key piece of their core going forward.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have built an intriguing young core in the last few seasons and Darius Garland is the key to bringing it all together. It would be shocking if he wasn’t locked in long-term as he is someone that players will want to team up with in the near future.

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