The Cleveland Cavaliers will not trade All-Star point guard Darius Garland this offseason, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
The same goes for star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. The Cavaliers are looking to build around their two talented guards.
“First off, the Cavaliers are not trading Darius Garland. They’re not trading Donovan Mitchell,” Windhorst said. “I didn’t realize saying outlandish was such a trigger word. From now on, I will be very careful to be very bland. I will be extremely bland when I say the Cleveland Cavaliers are not trading Darius Garland.”
Garland put up 21.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game this past season for the Cavaliers while shooting 46.2% overall, 41.0% from beyond the arc, and 86.3% from the free-throw line. The 23-year-old signed a five-year, $194.3 million designated rookie contract extension with Cleveland in July 2022.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Darius Garland & Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
The Cavaliers won 51 games this past season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2018. However, the New York Knicks beat Cleveland in the first round in five quick games. Garland averaged 20.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the New York series while shooting 43.8% from the field, 38.7% from 3 and 84.0% from the free-throw line.
Cleveland has a talented young core of Mitchell, Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans have tried to trade for Allen, but the Cavaliers are not interested in moving the Texas product.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Darius Garland & Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
The front office in Cleveland would be wise to add more scoring threats and defensive stoppers around Mitchell, Garland, Allen and Mobley instead of trying to break the foursome up and it appears that’s what general manager Koby Altman plans to do.
After getting a taste of the playoffs this year, the Cavaliers should be motivated to get to the second round next year.
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