Making the Case: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers knew that they had a strong backcourt, and a decision might have had to be made sooner than later. After the year that Darius Garland put up, there is no decision.

In his third year in the league, Garland played in 68 games, where he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists. He proved to be a scorer at all three levels, shooting 38.6% from three-point range.

There is no longer a need for a score-first backcourt partner like Collin Sexton alongside Garland. Managing to acquire a talent like Dejounte Murray would bring a significant defensive upgrade and add more playmaking into the fold.

Murray is owed $34.2 million over the next two years. This is an average of just over $17 million. This is a steal for the Cavaliers for a versatile guard who can play either spot in the backcourt.

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The pieces are in place in the frontcourt, and this is a team looking to take the next step. It sounds simple, but the best teams have the best players all over the floor.

This is what Cleveland can build by making a deal such as this. Garland and Murray would be able to compete with many backcourts around the league.