Darius Garland was mired in a plethora of trade rumors this offseason. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers retained him along with the majority of their core. When asked about the rumors on Media Day, Garland denied the reports from this summer.
“I told [Koby Altman] I wanted to be here,” Garland said. “I really don’t know [where the rumor came from], it came out and it was definitely false.”
There were reports last season circulating stating Garland had grown discontent with the Cavaliers. It was also rumored that he would demand a trade if the team signed Donovan Mitchell to an extension.
“It’s super cool to see a star like [Mitchell] committed to this team,” Garland said. “He loves this city. We’re super excited to have him back and he’s happy to be here.”
“We’ve been together three years and we’ve made a jump every year,” Garland said. “A lot of people don’t see what we have outside of the court, we have a real relationship off the court. That’s my brother.”
Garland is coming off a season where he finished with averages of 18.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. His shooting efficiency slightly dipped as he shot 44.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc in 57 games played. As a result, the young guard is looking to have a bounce-back season.
Darius Garland Says Trade Rumors Were “Definitely False”
Can Darius Garland Take a Leap This Season?
Darius Garland certainly has the talent and potential to become a consistent 20 point per night scorer. Not to mention, he does have an All-Star appearance on his resume and was dealing with a fractured jaw last year. In terms of fit with Mitchell, bear in mind he had a great year co-existing with the former Jazz star in their first season together. That particular campaign saw Garland tally 21.6 points, 7.8 assists per game, and a three-point shooting percentage of 41.0 percent.
One could even argue that was better than the season where he netted an All-Star Game selection. If the rumors from last year are false, then he and Donovan Mitchell could form one of the more potent backcourt duos in the league this coming season. There is no reason to think that the former Vanderbilt product cannot bounce back this year. If the core four (Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen) of the Cavaliers can remain healthy, they could potentially make a deep playoff push.
