Darius Garland opens up on ‘grown-man’ conversation he had with Donovan Mitchell that changed everything

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland shared that he had a “grown-man conversation” with teammate Donovan Mitchell that helped the two guards lock in for the 2024-25 season.

“To be completely honest, bro, I would really say this summer,” Garland said of when he and Mitchell locked in. “We really, really got locked in, knowing what we really want to do, and what we want to accomplish.

“He knew that I was pretty upset about last year and not having the performance that I wanted and what he wanted and as a team perspective. We just sat down and talked. And we just really explained to each other, this is what we gon’ have to do to win.

“This is what we gon’ have to do to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and to the Finals. It was like a grown-man conversation. We just really sat down and unfolded everything. That was probably like the first grown-man conversation I had in the league so far.”

Garland said that the conversation with Mitchell was “a lot of release” off his and Mitchell’s shoulders.

“I know the tandem can work perfectly,” Garland said of him and Mitchell.

Last season, Garland struggled as he was limited to just 57 games due to injury. The former first-round pick shot 44.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3 while averaging 18.0 points per game – his fewest since his second season in the NBA.

However, it appears that the conversation between Garland and Mitchell has worked, as the Cavs are off to a fast start in the 2024-25 season. Cleveland currently holds the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 35-6 record. It has a 6.5-game lead on the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics, and it has a slight advantage over the Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7) for the best record in the NBA.

Garland’s play has improved in the 2024-25 season, as he’s averaging 21.2 points per game while shooting a career-high 49.9 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3.

Mitchell is also thriving, averaging 23.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The five-time All-Star appears to be on his way to yet another All-Star nod in the 2024-25 campaign.

Cavs fans certainly have to be excited about the output from Garland and Mitchell this season, and it appears the two are committed to improving to eventually win a title in Cleveland.

It’s also important to note that Mitchell signed an extension with the Cavs this past offseason, which means he and Garland should have several more seasons together for allow their chemistry to flourish.

Mitchell isn’t the only member of the Cavs core that should be sticking around for the long haul. Cleveland also extended the contracts of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley this past offseason.

It’s pretty clear that the Cavs are betting on their continuity leading them to more success in the 2024-25 season and beyond.