Garland may have had a down season, but he doesn't want to leave Cleveland.
Darius Garland had a down year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was part of why they limped to the regular season finish line and squeaked by the Orlando Magic.
It's also a reason for optimism heading into next season. The Cavs believe in Garland. He believes he will be better next season, and wants to remain in the wine and gold.
“I don’t want to be traded,” Garland told cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor while he was in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League. “Those are just rumors.”
Those rumors bubbled up to the top following the Cavs’ exit from the playoffs a few months back, with a post-mortem piece published by The Athletic detailing how they would need to break up the backcourt sooner or later. Specifically, the article detailed that Garland’s representation would seek a new home for their client should Donovan Mitchell re-sign with the Cavs.
The extension came for Mitchell, but not the Garland trade request.
“It’s always good to see one of our guys get the money they deserve and know he’s going to be back with us for a while,” Garland said to cleveland.com. “I was excited. I was excited for him.”
All signs point to the Cavs running things back with their core of Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. New head coach Kenny Atkinson’s introductory press conference indicated as such. Atkinson’s new offense may be what the Cavs need to help unlock the backcourt problem of taking turns with the ball.
“It sounds really good,” Garland told Fedor. “A lot of spacing and a lot of room for me and (Mitchell) and all of the other guys to be able to thrive.”
The Cavs want Garland to thrive just as much as he wants that for himself. Both sides also want it to happen in a Cavs uniform. After months of speculation, it appears the air has finally been cleared. And for both sides, it is the best possible path forward.
