Reaching an extension with Darius Garland figures to be among the offseason priorities for the Cavaliers, but the third-year guard didn’t want to speculate on the possibility during a public appearance Saturday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Garland, who has become part of the young foundation in Cleveland, is expected to receive a five-year max-level extension offer this summer.
“We will see,” Garland responded when asked about an extension. “I hope I’m part of (the team’s future). Not anything set in stone yet. Hopefully.”
Garland is coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game and helped the Cavs become a surprise contender in the East. He was stung by back-to-back losses in the play-in tournament and said he couldn’t stand to watch the first round of the playoffs, but now he looks back at the season as something positive.
“It definitely gave me a taste. Just being there. Feeling that atmosphere. The fans packing the arena. That was super cool,” Garland said. “Felt like the playoff atmosphere that I want to be in. Next year hopefully we will be back. We have a bright future. Just coming down the stretch we had a lot of bad timing with injuries and stuff like that. No excuses. We’re headed in the right direction I believe.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons forward Jerami Grant will be a popular name on the trade market this summer, so Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press looks at four potential destinations. Sankofa proposes deals that would send Grant to the Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, Hawks and Grizzlies.
- After a first-round exit this season, the future doesn’t look much brighter for the Bulls to make a long playoff run, contends Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Even if Chicago is able to re-sign free agent Zach LaVine, Cowley doesn’t believe the current core has enough star power to compete with the Celtics, Heat, Bucks, Nets and Sixers.
- The Pacers have a $1.8MM option on Oshae Brissett‘s contract for next season, but Tony East of Forbes explains why it might be more beneficial for Indiana to decline that option and make him a restricted free agent now rather than allowing him to become unrestricted in 2023.
Rank these great pgs in terms of who you’d rather have as your pg if you could have them for their entire career, Terrell Brandon, Kyrie Irving, Mark Price, Darius Garland & Andre Miller…
Darius Garland, Kyrie, Mark Price, Andre Miller, Terrell Brandon.
Miller over Brandon for longevity, Brandon retired early if I remember and Miller played in slow motion for like forever.
Mark and Kyrie are probably closer than most people think. Kyrie and Garland are closer also I just see Garland slightly over Kyrie.
Grant and Wood have little trade value
Who says no?
Knicks get Wood and #17
Rockets get Walker and #11
Rockets save money
Rockets refuse to overpay Wood, Wood is likely to walk for nothing next summer
One more
Knicks get Grant
Pistons get Randle
Garland and Sexton are now both represented by Rich Paul. It’ll be interesting to see how negotiations take place. I hope they pay Sexton before negotiating an extension with Garland. obviously, I want them both extended.
Klutch has a little leverage. They can push for player options at the tail end of Garlands deal.
Koby and JB are pro-Levert for some insane reason, I’m sure Sexton and Co don’t like that.
I know a few guys who hang out with NBA players and coaches and they all say Sexton is a hard working and easy to like guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder to try and prove doubters wrong. It showed in the way he improved his 3pt shooting out of college. I hope he can become a better defender, especially IQ wise. I think effort isn’t the problem. 4 coaches in 4 years likely didn’t help his development. With pg duties now out of his hands I wonder if there’s more improvement ahead of him.
Next 3 playoffs second round teams
East top 4
Celtics
Bucks
Nets
Heat
76ers and Bulls can take them down if their stars are injured
Bulls are fine with this team. They need to stay healthy. And they need another big or two. A rim protector and a rebounding 4. Lonzo has to elevate his gm. His time is now if he’s ever going to show up.
Lonzo has already “shown up”
Lonzo will never be that guy that the Lakers wanted him to be when they took him 2nd in the 2017 draft, but he’s worked hard and became a knockdown shooter from deep, he’s still an unselfish willing passer and is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league.
The Bulls should be able to draft another decent PF at 18 or another wing if they choose to go that way. We all saw what happened when Williams got injured. They need insurance at that position. It forced other people to guard guys way bigger than they were and they got hurt. They also need to find a reliable backup 5 because Bradley aint it and Simonovic is still not a proven commodity. Whatever happens with Lavine will be in the Bulls favor, Keep him or not, It makes no difference. Green is fine at the 2 guard or 3 position, Ball and Lavine should be fine by training camp and if Cockburn doesn’t get drafted would be a great FA sign. It would make Summer League fun anyway.
“Another big or 2” is absolutely what they need. A game changing center is the hole in their team they have to fill in order to take the next step.
Even if worst case scenario happens and Lavine is dumb enough to just walk, The Bulls have a Trade exception worth around 10 million plus the 20 million they save on Lavine walking they should be able to find a 2 guard who shoots 90% of the time he touches the ball and plays no defense. Pretty sure I could find one for a lot less. Need to trade Coby White who really didn’t shoot well when he had the minutes and is in no way, shape or form a PG in this league. Maybe get another late round 1st for him because if they get a 2nd the League is going to take it from them for signing Ball early last year( Which was a joke by the way).
Coby mostly plays SG now, with DeRozan on the floor handling the ball as a SF…so, no he is not a PG but does not have to be. His job is to knock down catch and shoot 3s, and he was ok last year at that, should improve this year. Trade bait if they can get what they really need, a rim protector, but otherwise has value on the floor.