Report: Cavaliers could explore trade market for Darius Garland

Report: Cavaliers could explore trade market for Darius Garland

At this point last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers were fresh off a second-round exit to the eventual champion Boston Celtics. There was discourse surrounding a potential shake-up with their core in regard to Darius Garland‘s rumored unhappiness and Jarrett Allen‘s fit in the frontcourt alongside rising star Evan Mobley.

Well, Garland shut that down fast, and Cleveland doubled down with Mobley-Allen. The organization ultimately ran back a similar roster, but fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and replaced him with Kenny Atkinson.

Cleveland followed suit with one of the best seasons in franchise history, winning 64 games. Though it self-combusted in the East semis, against Indiana, losing in five games. Now, we’re back to square one, with Garland being potentially on the trade block this offseason, according to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst.

“The interesting thing about the Cavs is a year ago, there was some belief that Darius Garland may want to get traded,” Windhorst said, according to RealGM. “That was definitely out there, that if [Donovan Mitchell] extended his contract then maybe Darius would want to get traded. And the message that was very hard out there, (president of basketball operations) Koby (Altman) was on the record I’m pretty sure even saying, ‘we’re not trading Darius Garland.’

“A year later, I think there’s some belief that Darius Garland might be available under the right circumstances. And I don’t think Darius Garland wants to go anywhere. I think Darius Garland is very happy with how things have developed in Cleveland and he really likes it, he likes the role that he’s got.

“But I think the Cavs are listening and open-minded without actively trying to think that they need to change their roster.”

The Cavaliers built themselves to a 2-3-year window before they start getting overly expensive. They didn’t achieve their goal in year one and are $12 million into the second apron for next season, according to Spotrac. Donovan Mitchell, Mobley, Garland and Allen account for 98.4 percent of the salary cap in 2025-26, 100.4 percent in 2026-27 and 97.3 percent in 2026-27, the final year of Garland’s current contract.

Sacrifices will have to be made eventually, and Allen may not have enough value on the open market for Cleveland to make a substantial upgrade. Thus, Garland is the next man up, with Mobley and Mitchell conceivably off the table.

Do you think the Cavaliers will trade Garland? Let us know in the comments!

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