There has been plenty of speculation regarding Darius Garland’s future in Cleveland, but he is not looking to leave the Cavs any time soon.
Speaking with Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, Garland was pretty straightforward in addressing his future, “I don’t want to be traded“. Quick. Easy. To the point. Nothing more was really needed from Garland here. These six words from Garland only prove his loyalty and commitment to what is being built in Cleveland.
While may come as a shock to those who have not paid close attention, the reality is this is not anything remotely close to being considered a surprise.
Before last season began, there seemed to be an attempt by many to create a divide between Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Just about any conversation focused on the Cavs was about how Mitchell was not going to sign an extension. That Cleveland should accept the inevitable and trade him now while they still can. Once it became clear that Mitchell was not looking to leave Cleveland, the target of the nonsensical talking points changed to Garland.
Prior to Mitchell signing his new contract and shortly after, there was speculation that Garland could request a trade. Again, those on the outside were attempting to manufacture something that really wasn’t there. Trying to stir things up for the sake of doing so without genuine knowledge of the situation. Now that the dust has settled and Garland has chimed in on the matter, those rumors can finally be put to rest.
Judging the Cavs’ future with Garland and Mitchell based on last season would result in an inaccurate percpetion of what to expect moving forward.
The 2023-24 season was a bit of a mess for the Garland-Mitchell pairing in Cleveland. Both Garland and Mitchell missed time due to injuries over the course of the season. This made it difficult for either player to get into a groove when both were on the court. However, that did not stop people from making nonsensical evaluations of this backcourt partnership.
Did the way the Cavs’ season came to an end feel like a disappointment? Sure, but nobody should have expected them to compete with the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics. Far too often, there were attempts at making sweeping proclamations about the viability of Garland and Mitchell together. These were never based in reality and rarely included any type of genuine information. Just blanket statements that do not deserve any attention.
What it comes down to is understanding where the Cavs are on their current competitive timeline. Suggesting moving on from either Garland or Mitchell is just a knee-jerk reaction and remedial fan-level analysis that should not be taken seriously. Cleveland believes the duo of Garland and Mitchell is what can lead the Cavs to be among the best teams in the NBA. Until something substantial changes, that is what every fan should believe as well.
One last little piece of advice. Take off the tinfoil hats and stop believing every slapped-together rumor. Garland wants to stay in Cleveland, end of story.
