Will the Cleveland Cavaliers have to choose between Donovan Mitchell & Darius Garland?

On Wednesday night the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season came to an end after they were eliminated from the 2024 NBA playoffs by the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their series. It wasn’t long after the game before a report from Shams Charania suggested that the Cavs could soon have to make tough choices where their star is concerned.

What’s going on with the Cavs & Donovan Mitchell?

According to the above-mentioned report from Charania, there is a growing belief amongst some executives in the league that the Cavs “may have to choose” between Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland this summer. Mitchell is of course eligible for a long-term, maximum-level extension worth $208 million and it is widely expected that the franchise will offer it to him. In this past campaign, the 27-year-old averaged 26.6 points and a career-high 6.1 assists per game, a contribution that was key in helping the Cavs register 48 wins and a first-round series win before injury forced him to miss the final two games of the Celtics’ series.

This brings us back to the situation at hand, which Charania reports could result in Garland’s departure should the Cavs successfully retain Mitchell’s services. Indeed, Charania indicates that in the event of a Mitchell extension, Rich Paul - Garland’s agent - would approach the franchise “on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.” We don’t have to tell you that this is complete U-turn on what has been largely reported over the last few months. Consider for a moment that for some time now we’ve heard tell of Mitchell’s dissatisfaction with Cleveland and that he would not be seeking to stay long-term, with free agency coming in the next offseason. There was even talk of a possible move to the New York Knicks, his hometown team.

OK, but how did we get here?

Though there are likely a number of variables in play, what we can assume is that there is truth in what has been reported recently by Charania i.e., “there is a growing sentiment around the league that the Cavaliers will be able to position themselves to receive his commitment.” To that end, as contradictory as it may be where the recent narrative is concerned, it’s looking more likely that Garland will be leaving rather than Mitchell.

Yet, here is the thing: It might not actually be a bad thing for both parties. Yes, he is a key part of the Cavs offensive backcourt, but when placed alongside Mitchell in defense, the pair leaves quite a bit to be desired. That’s also without touching on the complicated nature of two ball-handlers working together. This of course is where we come to the Cavs’ side of things which is to say the team can only benefit from finding a player who can cover for Mitchell’s weaknesses.

Where specifics are concerned, Garland just closed out the first year of a five-year, $197 million contract and is 24 years old. Despite the fact that he needs to improve on defense, what he does on offense along with his age and contract status make for a very attractive package for any team that’s on the hunt for a high-scoring point guard. This past season he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per Game which was enough to get him a first All-Star nod. Ultimately, it’s clear that the Cavs now face a tricky situation, one that could have serious repercussions for both them and the wider league as well.