Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers Again Linked To Big Trade

The Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers have again been linked to a big potential trade.

Apr 25, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) brings the ball up court during the first quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Throughout the course of the NBA offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to each other in quite a few different trade rumors.

Most of those trade rumors and speculations have had to do with young point guard Darius Garland. Despite all of the rumors, the Cavaliers have not shown much interest in moving off of Garland.

Once again, the Lakers have been linked to Garland.

Bleacher Report released a list of "realistic" dream trade targets for each team in the NBA. When it came to Los Angeles, Garland was the pick.

"The Lakers may avoid the three-star concept, especially given the restrictive new rules and the team's high payroll, which has bottlenecked its flexibility this summer. Still, if Darius Garland became available out of Cleveland, the Lakers would probably offer both of their firsts to the Cavaliers for the young guard. Salary matching would be complex, probably requiring more than one team. Note: If Stephen Curry were available (he's not currently), the Lakers would jump at the chance."

Garland would be a very hot trade commodity if Cleveland were to make him available. He has shown flashes of big-time potential, but has yet to show it on a nightly basis.

During the 2023-24 NBA season with the Cavaliers, Garland ended up averaging 18.0 points per game to go along with 6.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds. He also chipped in 1.3 steals per game.

In addition to his averages, Garland shot 44.6 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts.

At 24 years old, Garland would be on quite a few teams' trade radars. However, as Grant Afseth of NBA Analysis Network detailed, there are some roadblocks to potential trade suitors' interest in him right now.

All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for Garland and Cleveland. If they make him available for trade, it seems likely that the Lakers would be one of the teams with interest in him.