Could The Cavaliers Really Trade Darius Garland For Zach LaVine?

The Cavaliers and Bulls are being urged to come together for a summer blockbuster.

Jan 25, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) passes the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a whole lot of trade speculation surrounding Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland since the Cavaliers' season ended. The same applies to Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine, although rumors have been swirling about a LaVine trade for quite some time.

Does there a exist a world in which Cleveland and Chicago could actually swap guards?

Cade Cracas of King James Gospel thinks so.

Cracas proposes a trade in which the Cavs send Garland, Georges Niang and the 20th overall pick to the Bulls in exchange for LaVine, who is widely expected to be dealt this summer.

It wouldn't be the first time a Garland-for-LaVine deal was discussed. Earlier in the 2023-24 campaign, it was reported that Chicago approached the Cavaliers about such a move.

But would trading Garland for LaVine really make a whole lot of sense for Cleveland?

The primary reason why Garland is being labeled as a potential trade candidate is because of his fit with Donovan Mitchell, which has not been as dynamic as many had hoped.

Both Garland and Mitchell are terrific scorers, and with there only being one basketball, having both of them on the same squad could create some friction.

The same issue would exist with Mitchell and LaVine, although it might actually worsen.

From 2019 through 2023, LaVine average in then neighborhood of 25 points per game, topping out at 27.4 during the 2020-21 campaign. For reference, Mitchell just achieved a career-high 26.6 points per game this season.

I'm not so sure LaVine would take too kindly to a likely significant dip in field-goal attempts alongside of Mitchell.

Plus, LaVine has a very worrisome injury history. As a matter of fact, his 2023-24 season ended after just 25 games due to a foot injury that required surgery. He also has a background of knee problems and has only played 70 games once over the last eight years.

There is no question that LaVine is a gifted scorer when he is healthy, but that's just the thing: you never know when he is going to get injured again, and swapping out Garland—who has actually developed into a very good playmaker—for an even more ball-dominant guard in LaVine would probably not be the best move for Mitchell's development in Cleveland.