Report: Darius Garland Was ‘Pissed’ When He Read He Would Request Trade If Cavaliers Extended Donovan Mitchell

According to NBA reporter Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Darius Garland was “pissed” when he read rumors stating that he would request a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers if Donovan Mitchell signed an extension. 

Mitchell agreed to a three-year extension with the Cavaliers.

Fedor, who covers Cleveland, is reporting that Garland doesn’t want to get traded. 

“I am not convinced that Darius wants out,” Fedor said. “I’m not convinced that Darius is unhappy playing alongside Donovan. In fact, I had a source tell me that Darius was pissed when he read that and that came out because it wasn’t his own feelings.”

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.

The Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in seven games but lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round in five games. 

The Cavaliers 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. 

Garland doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. There have been rumors that Klutch Sports Group will ask the Cavaliers to trade Garland since they won’t want him next to Mitchell, but Rich Paul hasn’t submitted a trade request.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Cavaliers don’t want to trade Garland, who drew interest from the New Orleans Pelicans before the team traded for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. 

Cleveland, who hired Kenny Atkinson as its new head coach, wants to build around Garland, Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, which means a trade for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is unlikely to happen. 

“Cleveland continues to be mentioned by league personnel as a possible alternative for Ingram, but there’s no straightforward path to making such a deal work with the Cavaliers,” Fischer wrote. “While Cleveland holds interest in Ingram and values his skillset, sources said, Cavs personnel have maintained a reluctance to breaking up the team’s core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, as NBA figures continue preparing for Mitchell to sign a lucrative extension. Without parting with Allen, who’s long been on New Orleans’ radar, it’s difficult to find a path to bring Ingram to Northeast Ohio.

“Cleveland doesn’t want to part with Garland, either, sources said, even if his representation at Klutch Sports attempts to push his own trade.”