CLEVELAND, Ohio — Being a starting point guard on a championship contending team doesn’t automatically make you a team leader.
That’s a reality the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast explores regarding the Cavs’ Darius Garland.
Host Ethan Sands and cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins delivered a pointed examination of Garland’s leadership credentials that reveals significant questions.
“Darius Garland talks about it. Talks about himself, about being a leader, being one of the leaders of this team. And sure, you’re the starting point guard, but what have you done to prove that you’re a leader?” Sands challenged, cutting to the disconnect between Garland’s self-perception and the reality within the team.
“I think that he wants that responsibility. I think he embraces that,” Watkins followed, suggesting that the desire to lead exists even if the execution has been inconsistent.
The podcast doesn’t simply question Garland’s leadership, it provides specific examples of actions that have undermined his standing.
Watkins referenced a controversial incident during the 2025 playoffs involving Miami Heat player Tyler Herro that raised eyebrows within the Cavaliers front office.
“The Tyler hero thing, that wasn’t the most mature leadership thing to do, even if they were friends?” Watkins explained. “I remember Chris [Fedor] saying the moment certainly [got] an eye roll from people in the front office when that happened.”
Even more damaging to Garland’s leadership credentials was the discussion of trade request rumors that surfaced after the Cavaliers’ playoff elimination by the Celtics in 2024.
Watkins didn’t hold back in analyzing how such rumors impact perception:
“Did Darius request a trade after the Celtics series loss? Did he not request a trade? Someone close to Darius Garland said that he was going to request a trade, and now that’s a tricky bit of toothpaste to put back in the tube. Don’t you think?”
The conversation frames a compelling contrast between the established leadership of Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus versus the aspirational leadership of players like Garland.
While Mitchell and Strus were stamped as leaders according to Watkins, Garland falls into the “open conversation” category despite his position and tenure with the team.
What makes this discussion particularly fascinating is how it challenges conventional assumptions about NBA leadership hierarchies.
The natural expectation is that a team’s point guard – especially one with Garland’s offensive talent and contract status – would be a cornerstone leader. Yet the podcast suggests leadership must be earned through consistent actions rather than proclaimed through words or position.
The conversation also touches on different leadership styles, acknowledging that players like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen lead by example rather than with their voices. However, the podcast makes clear that even quiet leaders must find their voice in crucial moments.
As the Cavaliers continue their pursuit of championship contention, resolving these leadership questions could prove as important as any on-court strategy. The podcast illuminates how locker room dynamics and leadership credibility can impact a team’s ceiling as much as talent and scheme.
For the complete breakdown of Garland’s leadership credentials and more insights into the Cavaliers’ locker room dynamics, check out the full episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast with Ethan Sands and Jimmy Watkins.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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