It’s reportedly ‘a terrible time’ to trade Garland

Garland and the Cavs seem willing to stick it out after Donovan Mitchell’s extension.

Darius Garland was inevitably going to be linked to trade rumors this summer for the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, those rumors might never gain any real traction if the market doesn’t significantly heat up even after Donovan Mitchell agreed to an extension.

“I don’t think the market is there for Darius Garland,” Windhorst said on ESPN Cleveland. “Even if Garland does ask for a trade and I’ll say it again, I’m not convinced that he will — I don’t think the Cavs are going to trade him because I don’t think it’s a good time to trade him.”

Windhorst references a recent trade in which Dejounte Murray was sent to the New Orleans Pelicans for a package of Larry Nance Jr, Dyson Daniels and two first round picks. This type of return for a guard who was most recently an All-Star in the same season as Garland is not an encouraging sign for the Cavaliers.

Unlike the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland would not be swapping Garland to initiate a soft rebuild. Trading Garland would be an all-in, win-now type of move with Mitchell in the thick of his prime. A return package for Garland would need to be much higher than the one Murray yielded — and that feels unlikely considering how poorly Garland recently performed.

It was an injury-riddled season that was only exasperated by his awkward fit next to Mitchell. Garland played with fewer touches in an attempt to co-exist with a superstar guard who was blazing an MVP campaign before falling to injuries of his own. Garland has been tasked with adjusting to his teammate and thus far the results have been spotty.

Garland’s representation, Klutch Sports, was reportedly prepared to discuss a change of scenery if Mitchell signed an extension in Cleveland. A fresh start could return Garland to the All-Star status he enjoyed before Mitchell’s arrival. But as of July 2, Mitchell is extended and Garland is reportedly content to be his teammate.

Regardless of your opinion of the core four, this is a healthy development. A public trade request would only hinder the Cavaliers' leverage. Under these circumstances, the Cavs can move with patience and await a deal that interests them. There’s no rush to make a move to appear aggressive. Garland and Mitchell’s commitment to making this work — alongside a new head coach who plans on tackling the challenge — is a preferable result for the franchise compared to the alternative.

The Cavaliers have signaled a commitment to the core four, showing a reluctance to even hear offers for their star players. If the market is as poor as Windhorst suggests, it only makes sense Garland will remain a Cavalier.