Darius Garland has turned into an important piece of the puzzle for the Cleveland Cavaliers. While much has been made of the size the team has in its frontcourt, Garland is the straw that stirs the drinks, and entering this summer, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was eligible to negotiate a new deal with the team.
That ended up coming to fruition on Saturday afternoon. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Garland and the Cavaliers agreed to a new 5-year deal that will pay him $193 million. There are incentives in the deal that could lead to Garland making up to $231 million.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022
Garland had a breakout year during the 2021-22 campaign, which led to him making his first All-Star Game in front of his hometown fans. After showing plenty of promise during his rookie and sophomore years in the Association, Garland averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game, both of which were career-best marks and led the team. He also registered 1.3 steals per game in 35.7 minutes a night while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three.
The Cavaliers have made clear they’re trying to build something during their second post-LeBron James era, and unlike the last time, it seems like there is something special brewing with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as their indomitable frontcourt duo. Now, the team has made sure it has its point guard situation settled for the next five years.