Rivals See Cavaliers’ Darius Garland as Low-Risk Solution for Point Guard Needs
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With Cleveland off to a rocky start, league executives are already gauging the trade market—and All-Star guard Darius Garland is drawing steady interest.
Multiple team sources told Hoops Wire that the Cavaliers are not yet in hurry-up mode, preferring to evaluate the roster once a string of early injuries subsides. Nonetheless, rival clubs view Garland as Cleveland’s most attainable high-value piece should the franchise decide to shake things up.
League perception: “safest” marquee guard on the market
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reported that front-office personnel consider Garland a lower-risk acquisition than other prominent guards being monitored, including Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball and Trae Young. According to Afseth, some teams also believe the 23-year-old would eventually like to run a team without sharing the backcourt spotlight with Donovan Mitchell.
One league source echoed that sentiment, telling Afseth, “Darius is the safest option on the trade market for a team seeking a point guard upgrade. There are teams who think he can handle more being put on his plate.”
Cleveland’s stance
The Cavaliers are not actively shopping Garland, according to the report. The guard recently regained full minutes after offseason toe surgery, and the organization still expects the Garland-Mitchell pairing to thrive once both players—and the roster at large—are healthy.
For now, Cleveland intends to monitor on-court results before making any significant roster decisions. Whether that outlook changes will likely depend on the team’s performance as the season progresses.
Source: Hoops Wire
