NBA Trade Rumors: 3 Darius Garland trades to free guard if Cavs stick with Mitchell

It appears we have reached the end of the Cleveland Cavaliers' current backcourt.

There are two potential outcomes this offseason. Either Donovan Mitchell gently forces his way out, or he inks an extension. Right now, all signs point toward the latter, with Cleveland "optimistic" about re-upping their star guard.

In the NBA, however, there is perpetual give and take. The Cavs' roster is going to look different next season, even if Mitchell extends. Especially if Mitchell extends. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Klutch Sports will approach Cleveland about trading Darius Garland if Mitchell sticks around.

Garland is obviously a Klutch client, and no agency exerts more influence over the NBA landscape. Cleveland made a bold choice to run with two small guards in the modern era. While it has hardly been a failure — the Cavs have been very good since Mitchell's arrival — there is an undeniable ceiling rooted in the collective defensive shortcomings of Mitchell and Garland as a duo.

This was a particularly rough postseason for Garland, too. He spent the entire campaign looking not quite right as he worked his way back from injury. The winds of change are howling, and it could benefit all involved for Garland to find a new home. Ideally one where he's not alternating point guard reps with another ball-dominant, 6-foot-3 guard.

Here are a few teams that should place a phone call if Cleveland starts floating Garland to opposing front offices.

3. Magic can acquire missing link with Darius Garland trade

It will be fascinating to see what it takes to land Garland this summer. Some NBA teams prefer Garland over Atlanta's Trae Young as a trade candidate, per Yahoo's Jake Fischer. It's unclear if that's because Garland costs less than Young in a hypothetical deal, or because teams simply believe that fervently in the 24-year-old's ceiling.

The Orlando Magic are a no-brainer destination for Garland. Paolo Banchero looked excellent in his first postseason run and Franz Wagner is a special talent, but Orlando desperately needs a high-level point guard to organize the offense. Garland immediately boosts the Magic's 3-point numbers and adds a new layer to the halfcourt offense.

Rather than leaning almost exclusively on Banchero and Wagner as slashers, Orlando can turn to Garland as a pick-and-roll maestro with the vision and manipulation skills to create easy looks for the Magic wings. He's not a great defender, but the Magic are brimming with length and high-quality defenders to bubble-wrap Garland.

If there's one strike against Orlando, it's that the Magic very nearly beat Cleveland in the playoffs. After a seven-game series, maybe the Cavs don't want to be the team to push Orlando to the next level. Facing Garland in the playoffs and coming out on the wrong end would be a very real possibility for Cleveland after this trade.

That said, the Magic have a wealth of assets to put together an undeniable return package. The contract situation should only encourage Orlando. Garland is signed through 2027-28 and he's only 24, so he can theoretically lead the Magic offense for another decade if all goes to plan.

2. Pelicans need to change things up and Darius Garland can help

The New Orleans Pelicans are widely expected to explore the Brandon Ingram trade market. There is one goal with such a trade — to build a more cohesive unit around Zion Williamson. New Orleans could prioritize picks or prospects instead, but swapping Ingram for another one-time All-Star seems fair. This trade could benefit both sides.

Cleveland needs to replace Garland with a high-level wing, ultimately. Ingram gives the Cavs a versatile 6-foot-9 playmaker with experience operating on and off-ball in NOLA. Sliding Mitchell up to point guard and plugging Ingram into the lineup drastically improves the Cavs' defense around Evan Mobley. He's not the most natural fit, but Ingram certainly aligns more comfortably with Mitchell than Garland does at this point.

On the Pelicans' front, this is a dream outcome. This trade spells the end of the CJ McCollum era — he's either getting booted or demoted — but Garland is a far better point guard for a Zion-led franchise. He can create his own looks and score proficiently at all three levels, but Garland is also a more advanced playmaker who goes out of his way to set up teammates.

The optimized version of this Pels squad features Zion as the de facto primary initiator. Garland would still need to get comfortable spacing out to the wing, attacking decisively off the catch, and operating as a connector. That shouldn't be too much of an issue, though, as Garland processes the floor quickly and is plenty comfortable firing 3s off the catch.

Ingram has run his course in New Orleans. Garland has run his course in Cleveland. Both players can better address needs for the opposite franchise. It almost makes too much sense.

1. Darius Garland can set the table for Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Stop me if you're heard this before. The San Antonio Spurs need a point guard to complement Victor Wembanyama. More accurately, the Spurs need better playmakers on the perimeter. That doesn't necessarily need to come in the form of a defensively-limited, 6-foot-1 point guard, but Garland is an obvious fit for the Spurs and the culture Gregg Popovich has built.

Despite a wave of speculation, the idea of Trae Young landing in San Antonio appears dead. Young's reputation breeds more baggage than Garland, fair or not. If Young costs more, that will only steer the Spurs in Garland's direction even more.

In terms of skill set, there aren't too many superior options on the market for San Antonio (unless Donovan Mitchell ends up as the Cleveland guard on the trade block). Garland is a pick-and-roll savant, operating with tremendous patience and tempo in two-man actions. His ability to manipulate the defense, rifle passes with either hand, and shoot from anywhere on the floor makes him very difficult to guard. The version of Garland we saw in the playoffs — and this season, more broadly — was one hampered by injury and outside factors. He should rebound in 2024-25, especially if he's placed in a favorable situation.

Garland can feed Wemby on lobs or pick-and-pops, all while stepping into a steady stream of open 3s as defenders sell out to stop the Spurs' 7-foot-4 wunderkind. There isn't a much better co-star for Garland on paper, as Wemby can cash in on Garland's passing while protecting him on defense. There's less to worry about when Garland's man gains a step toward the rim when Wembanyama is blanketing the painted area.

The Spurs land a 24-year-old All-Star with four years left on his contract. Considering how clean the fit is and how reasonable the price should be, this is an objective victory for San Antonio. Cleveland, meanwhile, boosts its wing depth, gets frontcourt reinforcements in case of a Jarrett Allen trade, and receives a top-four pick. Not a bad haul, even in a weak draft.