NBA Analyst Believes Cavaliers Have Put Darius Garland ‘In An Impossible Position To Succeed’

One NBA analyst believes the Cleveland Cavaliers have put Darius Garland “in an impossible position to succeed.”

Tyler Watts of King James Gospel thinks Garland can’t “maximize his talent on the Cavaliers.”

“Garland was an All-Star in 2022 and looked to be on his way to superstar status, but he has taken a step back since Donovan Mitchell arrived,” Watts wrote. “The Cavaliers lost two straight in the Play-In Tournament in 2022 and traded for Mitchell because they were on the rise. Cleveland is better positioned to win, but it has put Garland in a difficult spot.”

Garland averaged 18.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.1 blocks for the Cavaliers in 2023-24 while shooting 44.6% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 83.4% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $36.7 million next season.

Cleveland drafted Garland with the fifth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The 24-year-old has career averages of 18.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.1 blocks. 

“Most would assume adding Mitchell would limit Garland’s ball-handling, but improve his scoring efficiency,” Watts wrote. “Instead, he shot 46.2 percent from the field in 2022 and just 44.6 percent last season. His shot diet has changed. Garland is getting to the rim less partly because Cleveland has two big men clogging the lane. The 6’1 guard has operated more from three to ten feet and beyond the 3-point line over the last two years. His percentage of field goals assisted has gone from up from 75 percent in 2022 to 91.5 in the last two seasons combined. Garland is more of a play finisher than a creator in his current role. His assists are down, and he is the number two option behind Mitchell.”

The San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans tried to trade for Garland this offseason, sources told Hoops Wire. The Cavaliers were not interested in trading Garland, sources said. 

When Mitchell signed his extension with the Cavaliers, he told the front office to keep Jarrett Allen and Garland, sources said. Mitchell, one of the top players in the NBA, signed a three-year, $150 million extension with Cleveland. 

“It is not easy being an undersized point guard,” Watts wrote. “There are defensive questions, so his team must maximize his offense to get the most out of Garland. That won’t happen in Cleveland, and it has put him in an impossible position to showcase his immense talent. Garland is still years away from his peak and could return to star status in the right situation. Does he find it? The Cleveland Cavaliers appear set on trying again with this core four, but things can change quickly in the NBA. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out.”