Redrafting the 2019 NBA Draft: Injury concerns and flawed greatness
27. . G. New York Knicks. Darius Garland. 3. player
Darius Garland made his first of what should be many All-Star appearances last season. Injuries eventually derailed Cleveland’s first real stab at contention post-LeBron, but now the Cavs are fully back on the radar. Donovan Mitchell understandably absorbs a lot of the spotlight nowadays, but if anything, his presence has only empowered Garland more.
The Vanderbilt guard is on pace for career-best marks in scoring, 3-point volume, and shooting efficiency. Garland is no longer the primary focus of opposing defenses, which frees him up to attack lesser defenders. He gets more open 3s by way of Mitchell (which he’s great at knocking down), but Garland remains more than capable of leading the charge offensively.
The modern NBA hinges extensively on the pick-and-roll. Garland is an elite pick-and-roll guard, possessing both the shooting gravity to warp defenses and the passing vision to exploit breakdowns in coverage. He has the burst to get inside and attack the paint, or he can sit back and obliterate drop coverage with his pull-up jumper.
There are unavoidable defensive concerns with Garland, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds. That will always limit his ceiling to some degree. But offensively, there aren’t many point guards operating at Garland’s level right now. He can oscillate between roles offensively based on personnel, but he’s fully capable of being the go-to option for a very good team. He’s cemented in the top-3 right now.