Darius Garland has received significant criticism in recent months. The All-Star guard is currently dealing with a toe injury. However, his limited defense has been cited as a potential issue for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In a recent episode of “Mind The Game” with LeBron James and Steve Nash, superstar forward Kevin Durant appeared as a guest, where he pinpointed Garland as the weak link in the Cavaliers’ defense.
“If you want to beat the Cleveland Cavs, you go at [Darius] Garland, most of the time,” Durant said.
Garland’s lack of size and strength often makes him a target for opposing offenses. He’s consistently been hunted when appearing in the playoffs. Kenny Atkinson will likely need to hide him in the 2026 postseason if Cleveland is to make a deep run and challenge for a championship.
Of course, what Garland doesn’t provide on defense, he makes up for offensively. Last season, he averaged 20.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists. He shot 47.2% from the field and 40.1% from 3-point range.
However, when pairing him with Donovan Mitchell, the lack of point of attack defense is a concern, which makes his long-term position with the franchise questionable.
Cavaliers Almost Traded Garland for Kevin Durant
During the same appearance on ESPN Cleveland, Windhorst revealed that the Phoenix Suns were willing to discuss a trade involving Kevin Durant and Garland.
“The Suns, from what I’m told, reached out and had interest in Garland,” Windhorst said. “It was not the Cavs who wanted to trade Garland. The Cavs said the only way they would ever consider this would be if the Suns sent Kevin Durant plus other assets…And the Suns didn’t hang up the phone. I’ll just point out that the Suns own the Cavs’ 2029 first-round pick because they got it from the Jazz last year. And getting back your own picks in the distant future is somewhat attractive.”
Durant reportedly had a set list of teams he wanted to play for. The Cavaliers, like most other franchises, were not part of that list. Therefore, the trade failed to materialize. Still, Garland clearly has value around the NBA, despite his limited defensive skill set.
Garland Needs to Add Strength
If Garland is going to improve as a defender, he will need to add more strength and muscle to his frame. During a recent news conference, Koby Altman echoed that sentiment.
“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.”
If he can add some additional strength, Garland will become less of a target. He will fight through screens more easily. And he will be harder to attack on mismatches of cross matches. Furthermore, it could also allow him to become more of a threat in the lane. Right now, he shies away from contact far too frequently.
Garland has a path to improving on his shortcomings. Whether he decides to walk that path will dictate how the remainder of his time in Cleveland is viewed.
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