Darius Garland earned the second All-Star selection of his career last season. He emerged as one of the best offensive playmakers in the Eastern Conference, averaging 20.6 points and 6.7 assists for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, despite his impressive offensive showings, questions are still lingering regarding his ability on the defensive end. And therefore, he’s being potentially underrated in regard to the level of impact he can make, especially in the postseason.
During a recent episode of “The 520 Club” podcast, former NBA guard Jeff Teague upped the ante regarding the conversation surrounding Garland. Teague challenged the Cavaliers star to carry the torch for all undersized guards trying to make it in the NBA. He even suggested that Garland’s performances in the coming years could affect how teams view small guards during the draft process.
âI think Darius Garland has a responsibility to hold it down for the little guards,â Teague said. “…So heâs got to show that little guards can still compete. Heâs 6â1â³ or 6â2â. If he doesnât show that he can be present on defense or whatever, itâs going to start affecting how people draft”
Teague continued.
“…Even though heâs great offensively and he brings a lot to the table, if he has to hide on defense, people are going to start going away from that. You see so many 6â7â³ or 6â5â³ guards getting drafted.â
Garland’s defense will need to improve if he’s going to be a key part of what the Cavaliers will hope is a championship run next season.
Garland May Not Be Ready For Training Camp
When speaking to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson admitted that heâs not expecting Garland to be ready by the start of training camp.
âI donât,â Atkinson said. âThatâs not a medical opinion or anything. Thatâs just my feeling on the situation. Under promise and over deliver. Weâre not going to rush or push this. If he is ready, then great. I will rely on (trainer) Steve (Spiro) and Darius to tell me. But I donât expect that.â
Garland underwent surgery for an injury on his big toe earlier this summer. As such, it may take a while before he’s back to full fitness and playing to an elite level. Nevertheless, with some patience, Garland should be going full-throttle before Cleveland makes it deep into the regular season.
Cavaliers Confident of Winning a Championship
Despite Garland’s current injury status, it would appear that Kenny Atkinson and his Cavaliers team are confident in their ability to win the 2026 NBA championship.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com detailed the confidence level throughout the Cavaliers roster during a recent episode of the âWine and Goldâ podcast.
Suppose we’re operating under the assumption that what Teague said has some level of truth to it. In that case, the best way for Garland to represent the future of undersized guards is by helping the Cavaliers win a championship.
Fortunately for him, it would appear that everyone within the franchise is pulling in that direction. Still, they will need health and a little bit of luck along the way, as all champions do.
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