As Cleveland Cavaliers fans know quite well, young All-Star Darius Garland is the new face of the franchise.
The hope is that in the coming years, Garland will continue to develop into an elite player and lead the Cavs to many deep and fruitful playoff runs.
Last month, Garland and the Cavs agreed to a monster deal. Though Garland’s agent Rich Paul reportedly was interested in getting the youngster a player option in that deal, the plan may have changed thanks to a development that happened elsewhere in the league.
“A player option was a huge, huge talking point this summer across the league, but definitely on the fifth year of these five-year supermaxes,” NBA insider Jake Fischer said. “And I know that was something that Rich Paul was hoping for in Darius Garland’s deal. And when Ja Morant’s deal came out and did not have a player option, that really did help Cleveland.”
In the end, both Garland and the Cavs organization are surely happy that they were able to reach an agreement, but it’s interesting to hear that Morant’s deal played a role in the Garland situation.
Garland seems to have everything necessary to become one of the most effective playmaking guards in the NBA.
Last season, he averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. It was a fabulous season for the 22-year-old.
Expectations in Cleveland are getting higher these days, and Garland is seen as a young star that can help bring the franchise back to its former glory.
