Appearing on 850 ESPN Cleveland (Twitter video link), ESPN insider Brian Windhorst said the Cavaliers are listening to trade offers for point guard Darius Garland and are “open-minded” about the possibility of moving him if it improves their roster.
“The interesting thing about the Cavs is a year ago, there was some belief that Darius Garland may want to get traded,” Windhorst said (hat tip 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,” Windhorst continued. “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.”
In a separate podcast appearance with ESPN Cleveland’s Chris Oldach (YouTube link), Windhorst clarified that the Cavaliers are concerned about the roster-building restrictions of being a second-apron team, which is why they’re active in trade talks.
“What I’m trying to say here is that executing a significant trade is going to be hard for them,” Windhorst said. “They’re definitely open to it. I definitely think they’re willing to discuss options. I think last year, ironically, when they were coming off a quote-unquote more questionable season, they were much less interested in adjusting and listening to options than they are now.
“Talking to teams out there, I think the Cavs are much more open-minded regardless of what Koby said. However, it’s not that they’re open-minded necessarily because they think this team needs to be renovated. They’re open-minded because they realize once the second apron comes a lot of doors get closed.
“... I think they’re active without being aggressive,” Windhorst added.
Windhorst’s reporting is more or less confirmation of what Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com recently reported, that the Cavaliers are more open to entertaining offers for Garland and Jarrett Allen than they have been in the past, though Windhorst didn’t explicitly mention Allen by name.
Garland, 25, made his second All-Star appearance in 2024/25, averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals on .472/.401/.878 shooting in a career-best 75 regular season games (30.7 minutes per contest). However, he aggravated a toe injury in Cleveland’s first-round sweep of Miami, wound up missing four playoff games, and was hindered in his return to the court during the Cavs’ second-round loss to Indiana.
Garland seems like an empty stats guy who is really good as disguising that he’s an empty stats guy. He is certainly not bad by most measures, I do believe he had very poor shot selection in the playoffs. And while the steal numbers are acceptable at 1 per game, his size and lack of defensive effort was frequently and successfully targeted. If I thought my team had enough to compete for a championship, I wouldn’t want Darius Garland as my PG on the floor for 36-40 minutes.
Now replace “Darius Garland” with “Allen Iverson” and you just described the same style of player. The point being there will always be a market for “Stats guys” (whatever that means) because the buckets count the same and if you want a championship everyone knows you now need multiple pieces anyway.
There is zero chance Garland leads Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall and Theo Ratliff to an NBA Finals appearance. And for the record I absolutely loved both peak Westbrook and finals Dwight Howard.
The truth of the matter is that if Garland was white and from some part of Europe, he would have already been labeled soft, a poor defender, overconfident with his shot selection, and he would have had his minutes reduced. All of that and he absolutely unequivocally would have never received the opportunity to sign the max contract that Garland collects on.
😳
My point continues to be proven.
I’ve got Jokic, Herro, Sabonis, Luka, Sengun, Franz, Porzingis and Lauri as the only white players on contracts that pay over $30 million in the 2024 season or 2025 season. That’s 8 total.
Here are 9 names for non-white players making over $30 million in 2024 or 2025. Beal, George, LaVine, Simmons, Ingram, Porter Jr., Ayton, Middleton, Jerami Grant.
Lol you’re about to (further) embarrass yourself
Enlighten me my guy. I don’t think Garland gets paid as much if he is white and/or euro. I listed the white guys who got paid, they are all tall and, with the exception of Lauri, average a minimum of 4-5 assists a game. I genuinely don’t see why that is embarrassing. It’s just data. You brought race into the discussion and now we are discussing it. It’s ok to disagree. It’s ok to indulge small insignificant, hypothetical arguments if someone was a lighter skin color. It’s even ok for you to consider a different perspective.
If you have something you’d like to educate me or everyone about that I am blatantly overlooking, I’m ready and happy to hear it. But if you’re saying that big money is easier to make in the NBA as a white person, I looked at the salaries and the production and I disagree. I don’t think there is some big conspiracy afoot, I just think your opinion about race and it’s correlation to the evaluation of Garland is incorrect.
Well, I guess one has to look at the total number of players that belong to each group.
If there are 4x black guys in the league compared to white dudes, and 4x black guys are making over 30m, I guess it’s working the way it should. Not sure what that would prove, though.
Do you think Giddey will get 30m in the summer? I think he will, you can add him to your list.
I wouldn’t look much into Garland’s playoff performances, he had that toe thing. My dad had it and couldn’t walk up the stairs. Observing my dad, it looked like that’s the type of injury that prevents one from competing athletically with heavyweight boxer-sized men, which is what NBA players are.
As a foreigner and somebody who was mostly exposed to other sports and other basketball leagues growing up, it baffles me how it is accepted and expected of players in the NBA to play with serious injuries. I can’t think of any sport that requires running where players with torn hamstrings would be playing (Aaron Gordon), or playing with that toe thing.
A healthy exercise might be for y’all to try to imagine if Garland was from Croatia/Montana/Lithuania & how you might think about him if that was the case.
why would that be different if he was from there?
By y’all, you mean Druuu?
Smh bro I don’t do a census but it’s the vast majority of y’all. You’re the Orien Greene guy right? I give you credit for being sharper than most of these guys. But it’s forever weird to me that y’all ever deny your biases when it comes to basketball. Because y’all are so obv with your hate for certain great basketball players and love for guys that are clearly inferior. The examples are constant. It’s clearly racial. It’s not new at all. The media is a big part of it as well.
Try the exercise tho. Imagine if Russ Westbrook or Dwight Howard were from Spain or Serbia how much less hated those guys would be.
Sounds like you are the one bias about race. 99% of fans don’t care about race at all in sports. Just because Cavs fans upset about Garland showing in the playoffs doesn’t mean they do it because of race. Garland had a bad playoffs because he was playing injured.
Safe to say you don’t ever have to worry about anyone giving you credit for being sharper than the crowd. Surprise me tho… Garland to NO for CJ & #7, who says no?
can’t happen because there is a $9 million difference in payroll.
Jeez bro then just add some filler. Lol why are y’all like this fr?
there is no fillers that would make Cavs happy from Pelicans. Cavs reason for letting Garland go is to open up cap space for other players.
Smh… The filler wouldn’t be added to make Cleveland happy. It would be to make the trade cap compliant. Adding Elfrid Payton does that. Cavs would get cap space by doing this deal. They’d get at least $6M immediately & they’d get a huge amount next summer bc CJ is on an expiring deal.
CJ, Elfrid Payton & #7 pick to Cleveland for Garland. Sounds like you say Cleveland says no?
Is NO close enough to contending to give up the 7th pick?
They’re definitely gonna grab a lead guard with that #7 pick. There’s some really talented youngsters out there but nobody that’s gonna be an all-star next season or prob the next few seasons. Zion (when healthy) is ready to compete rn. If they can go get Garland that opens a window of contention for Zion & the Pels that is currently closed. He fits Zion much better than BI did. Garland/Herb/Zion/Trey/Missi with role players like Jose, Hawkins &Bruce Brown could push for 45Ws if Zion stays healthy & if/when Dejounte returns that could give em a boost as well. They obv won’t be title faves next season no matter what but adding an elite young pg should def be a priority now that Dejounte is hurt & Garland is just a much better option than Fears/Jakucionis/VJ/Traore, as much as i like those guys.
Yeow.. way off imo. Garland is great, but it’s tough to win with 2 small guards in the backcourt for 35 mpg. Nothing wrong with either guy but the nba is about how rosters fit together and then how it’ll work in the playoffs.
Which 2 small guards are you talking about?
wut..?
I’d like to see the trade idea
Reduce Cavs and Wolves payroll by $10 million each and make both teams better
Use third team to take salary
I am cleaning the house now
He’s a fine player with a not so fine salary. In this new CBA the championship teams need good players but on bargain deals or rookie deals.
John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, #21 pick plus a future 1st for Garland could work for Utah & Cleveland if John opts in
Julius Randle, Mike Conley plus a future 1st for Garland could work for Minny & Cle if Randle opts in
CJ McCollum & the #7 pick for Garland is prob my favorite tho. NOP finally gets their Lonzo replacement in the young all-star Garland who’s already signed up long term if I’m not mistaken. He pairs well with their whole team fr, especially Zion.
As far as Cleveland they get better in the short & long term as well. CJ is a more experienced guy that has a lot of the same strengths as Garland plus added leadership & postseason exp. They could go a lot of different ways with that top10 pick & chances are high they won’t get a pick like that again any time soon.
lol y’all couldn’t think of nothing huh? Surprise surprise
I wouldn’t trade Randle straight up for Garland if i am MN.
And NO is in no position to deal the 7th pick. So, no I wouldn’t do that if I am the Pels.
As for the Utah deal, I don’t think that does anything for CLE. And I’m not sure that the Jazz are ready to put chips together for a good player.
As I’ve said, I think the Magic matches up well on a Garland deal.
Seems sorta obv to me Wolves would rather have a pg like Garland, that being their obv weakest spot on the court. They got Naz Reid who’s arguably an upgrade from Randle ready to fill his spot in the lineup.
NO has the #7 pick so they’re def in position to deal the #7 pick.
The Utah deal gives Cleveland some much needed depth in the frontcourt with John Collins. Also replenishes their draft assets & gives them a young talent with the #21 pick. Clarkson is a seasoned vet with Finals exp & exp playing with Spida. Garland leaving leaves a big hole of production but Clarkson, along with Craig Porter & Ty Jerome would still have the Cavs with an elite backcourt. Guys like Dean Wade, Hunter & Merrill got killed by more athletic forwards like Obi/Mathurin/Pascal. Adding an strong, athletic forward that can also handle the role of enforcer like John or Randle is a must for them.
MN took off once Randle returned to action. Ppl have been underrating him for years. The Wolves need Randle.
Idk how you figure they need Randle. They went to the WCF last season without him. I respect his game a lot but Garland is younger & arguably already a better overall basketball player. More importantly he fits what they need way more. A big reason they traded KAT for Randle was to give them an extra ball handler/playmaker to relieve pressure on Ant. Randle did a really good job of that for most part. Garland would clearly be better at that tho. Conley is done as a starter & Rob isn’t ready yet. They have options at the 4 tho. If they lose Randle they still have an all-star level guy in Naz Reid.
The idea that you would suggest that Reid is the equivalent of Randle is incredible. I’ll just leave it there.
Lol how is that incredible? If they replace Randle with Naz what are they losing, other than the luxury of bringing a beast like Naz off the bench?
just stop. Randle is an all-nba level guy. he was on his way to another all-nba last season with the Knicks till he got hurt. And possibly this year as well and missed a chunk of time again. Reid is a nice player but not on Randle’s level.
My off the head offer would be to Orl for
1- an expiring Cole Anthony to help future cap and be the 25/26 Pg
2 J Isaac – Filler / nice player
3 – Goga – Can be traded into another teams Mle easily to help current years cap or be insurance if they trade J Allen as well as Garland – Also nets sone 2nd rders
And ofc a little draft capital, they can prolly narrowly slip apron 2 if they did in fact trade Goga into another teams Mle
** Orl would also have to find a 3 rd team to take Jett Howard for sone 2 nd rders to not be capped at apron. 1
Cavs don’t ’need’ to deal Garland. It’s not a dump.
Agree but I like this a lot more than your offer to Orl
Dont like the long term KCP or Carter money there; they are both heavily underwater and the Carter fit is just so bad Imho
This is a lot to do with financials obv but they still gain draft capital and get good players for 25/26 . Can possibly slip apron 2 next year with this trade as well
Im open to getting Black in the tradde as well if Cle Covets
I think 16 this year and probably 1 more future first would be going Cle’s way in my proposal as well
KCP already won a title playing next to Jamal Murray so I think he could be a good fit playing with Mitchell. And Black certainly has more upside.
Anthony can play but he’s another small pg and just a less accomplished version of Garland.
Carter is in to round out the $.
Garland contract includes 15% trade kicker
Tax apron teams are unlikely to acquire him Due to Strict rules
Both Cavs and Wolves are planning to reduce payroll
Wolves could miss the playoffs next season if losing Alexander Walker
Garland next to Anthony Edwards would be ideal. AE could cover his defensive shortcomings better than Donovan Mitchell and huge offensive upgrade for wolves. For the cavs, maybe if they think the randle and mobley fit is better and they flip Allen
“Windhorst’s reporting is more or less a confirmation” of earlier reports. LOL – isn’t that usually the case with him?!?!
Garland to the Magic feels like the right fit. I think I had it as:
Magic: Garland
Cavs: KCP, Black & Carter
Cavs need an actual return, not spare parts
Meant to add the 16th pick to that.
Still not enough . Orlando could really use him though
Well that’s the kind of offer to expect… it’s not that easy finding matches for $40M players. I think that’s actually a good deal for the Cavs. I think it is “enough.”
Your like 500 k over sadly in salary , Cle cant aggregate so this trade is ineligible by a nose
Idiots. Trade Mitchell, not Garland.
LOL