The Cleveland Cavaliers started the season off as one of the best teams in the league, led by the backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Garland emerged as the Cavs' primary star after a breakthrough 2021-22 season. While this secured his place as part of the team's core, this season's playoff results may usher in some changes.
The Cavaliers crashed out of the playoffs after a 4-1 loss in the second round against the Indiana Pacers. While the loss could be attributed to many reasons, including poor performances, Garland's absence due to injury was pegged as one of the major ones.
The guard received a lot of criticism for sitting out the first two games of the series against Indiana. Although his return was meant to instill some hope, this resulted in abject failure as Cleveland went 1-2 after his comeback.
Elimination from the playoffs raised a lot of questions and objections regarding what the team had done wrong or could have done differently. Considering some players are also due for contract extensions, it is becoming clear that roster changes are also on the horizon.
On this note, a recent rumor suggested that several Cavs players, who were otherwise considered untouchable, will now be available on the trade market. The Cavs' star guard happens to be one of them.
Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor presented the notion of trading Garland to the Orlando Magic for Jalen Suggs and Tristan Da Silva. His reasoning was:
"I understand that Jalen Suggs is not as good of a player as Darius. I understand that Jalen Suggs is not as naturally gifted or talented as Darius, but he brings a lot of stuff that this team would benefit from."
“ He can handle. He can distribute, he can guard his b**t off, he can shoot from the perimeter, he can drive, and he gives you more size, more toughness, more tenacity.”
With this idea in mind, let's take a look at how a potential trade between the Cavs and the Magic would impact their teams' futures.
Proposed Trade Details
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Jalen Suggs, Tristan Da Silva
Orlando Magic Receive: Darius Garland
The Cavaliers And The Magic Mutually Benefit From Such A Trade
The mere idea of this trade is thought-provoking, but there is some merit to how it could be mutually beneficial for both teams.
Darius Garland is an elite playmaking point guard who is also capable of switching it up on the offensive end by embracing a score-first role. His regular season averages of 20.6 points and 6.7 assists on impressive shooting splits of 47.2% from the field and 40.1% from three-point range are clear indications of this.
The 25-year-old boasts an elite handle that allows him to routinely get past defenders to facilitate his team's offensive schemes. He had particular success running alongside mobile big men like Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley and creating scoring opportunities for them.
For the Magic, this trade ticks a lot of boxes. Orlando suffered a difficult loss to the Boston Celtics in the first round. Led by a frontcourt star duo in Paulo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic feature some competent offensive threats, but they are severely lacking in some departments.
Garland's arrival could trigger the birth of a new era for the Magic. With Garland creating from the top of the key, Wagner and Banchero are left to run rampant, their only objective being to score. Meanwhile, the Magic have their share of athletic big men, which would also give the guard some flexibility with creating out of the pick-and-roll or in transition.
The only downside for the Magic is Garland's defense. At 6'1", the guard is undersized in his position. This could make him a defensive liability. It is important to note that his average of 1.2 steals per game from last season could prove to be of some use all the same.
For the Cavaliers, the acquisition of Jalen Suggs and Tristan Da Silva could go a long way in rounding out the team.
With Donovan Mitchell given the task of running the offense, Suggs becomes the team's primary on-ball defender on the perimeter. Suggs' physicality, athleticism, and defensive instincts make him a menace for opposing players. This aspect of his game would pair beautifully with the DPOY Evan Mobley.
Although Suggs is not the playmaker or scorer that Garland is, he is capable of contributing in his capacity. His averages of 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists make him effective enough on offense.
Tristan Da Silva's addition in this deal is probably more to make salaries match. However, the rookie showed enough potential in the regular season as a role player off the bench. His average of 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 22.0 minutes played per game could be of value if cultivated in Cleveland.
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