After being eliminated in the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers may decide they need to shake things up. The current roster dominated the regular season but fell short when it mattered most.
Darius Garland has received significant criticism for his postseason production. It would also appear that he’s viewed as one of Cleveland’s most logical trade chips.
In a June 2 article, Garrett Kerman of ClutchPoints proposed a trade that would send Garland to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The trade idea looked like this:
Cavaliers Get: Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, Josh Minott, a 2025 first-round pick via Detroit and a 2027 pick swap.
Timberwolves Get: Darius Garland
“The Cavaliers, facing their own roster questions and luxury tax pressures, could be enticed by a package featuring a veteran leader in Conley, a high-upside rookie in Dillingham, and two first-round assets,” Kerman reasoned. “For Minnesota, this move secures the long-term future of the point guard spot and adds another dynamic scorer to the mix.”
Garland is a core piece of Kenny Atkinson’s rotation. He ensures that Donovan Mitchell isn’t tasked with all of the playmaking and shot creation. However, if the Cavaliers aren’t sold on the current backcourt pairing, it would make sense to explore Garland’s trade market. Whether Kerman’s proposed trade would entice the Cavaliers to the negotiating table is open for debate.
Cavaliers Should Consider a Trade
In a recent episode of the “Wine and Gold Talk” podcast, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com admitted that Cleveland may need to shake things up. He pinpointed Garland and Jarrett Allen as two potential trade chips.
“There’s a real possibility that you could convince yourself that you could become a better basketball team without Jarrett Allen,” Fedor said. “There’s a real possibility that you could convince yourself, based on the offers that you’re getting or the packages that you believe are available to you, that you could become a better basketball team without Darius. That’s not overreacting.”
Allen and Garland should both have active trade markets. They’re both high-level talents who are still years away from their prime. Moving one of both of them would help recalibrate the current rotation. However, as with any trade, moving one or both young stars would be a risk.
Altman Details Garland’s Next Steps
During a recent news conference, Cleveland’s President of Basketball Operations, Koby Altman, detailed how Garland can improve heading into next season.
“He (Garland) needs to get stronger so he can compete at the highest level,” Altman said. “It’s the same thing that [happened] with Stephen Curry. … Now, Steph is all-world. I’m not making that comparison. But Steph got stronger … over his years. He’s a different physical specimen than he was when he first started playing.”
Garland is undoubtedly a talented player. However, he may need a change of scenery to help bring the best out of him. Altman will have some difficult decisions to make this summer. Still, if Garland remains on the roster moving forward, he must prove that he’s not the postseason liability many are starting to think he is.
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