Shortly after the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in the playoffs by the Boston Celtics, reports surfaced that suggested point guard Darius Garland may seek a trade this offseason. However, it seems to hinge on whether Donovan Mitchell will remain with the team past this summer or not.
Furthermore, rival executives believe the Cavs will have to seriously evaluate the fit of Mitchell and Garland and ultimately may have to choose one or the other. Should Mitchell decide to stay long term, sources briefed on the matter say Garland’s representation, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, would have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star. 1 day ago – via New York Times
If the Cavaliers do decide to trade the former All-Star, many teams are likely to pursue a trade for Garland. Recently, Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid suggested the Minnesota Timberwolves may have interest in Garland. However, per Bovada, the Timberwolves have +950 betting odds to land him. Currently, the San Antonio Spurs (+325) are the favorites in the Garland sweepstakes.
The San Antonio Spurs are the favorites to land Darius Garland if Cleveland decides to part ways with him, per @BovadaOfficial
San Antonio Spurs: +325
LA Lakers: +600
New Orleans Pelicans: +950
Utah Jazz: +950
Philadelphia 76ers: +950
Minnesota Timberwolves: +950
Orlando Magic:… pic.twitter.com/ULKikV4ZBd— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 17, 2024
The San Antonio Spurs Are Favorites to Land All-Star Point Guard
Darius Garland or Not, The Spurs Must Add a Valuable Point Guard This Offseason
Following Victor Wembanyama‘s historic rookie season, the Spurs must maximize the roster around him as soon as possible. The easiest fix they can make is it to add an impactful point guard to pair with Wembanyama. Although Tre Jones is solid, he is not the ideal point guard to pair with the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year. One name that has been thrown around is Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. However, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, the Spurs “have expressed little interest” in trading for the three-time All-Star.
San Antonio personnel would be committing front-office malpractice by not contemplating the opportunity to pair a league assist leader and high-screen maestro like Young to pair with Wembanyama. The Spurs have so far approached building around Wembanyama as an intriguing experiment, where they will weigh all different kinds of variables around their Rookie of the Year. However, according to multiple league figures with knowledge of the situation, any Spurs plans of maneuvering to bring Young to San Antonio have been vastly overstated. The Spurs, sources said, have expressed little interest in obtaining Young to date.
Young is a better overall player than Garland. However, the Cavaliers guard may arguably a better fit in the Spurs’ system.
Last season, Garland averaged 18 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. Although these numbers are down from his previous two seasons, it is still a big upgrade over Jones. Additionally, he would likely fare better with the Spurs as the primary ball-handler.
The Last Word on Darius Garland and the San Antonio Spurs
The Cavaliers’ season ended less than 48 hours ago. Currently, it is too early to determine if Garland truly is on his way out of Cleveland. However, if the reports turn out to be true, Garland could fit seamlessly next to Wembanyama in San Antonio.
