Buy or Sell: Cavs Should Keep Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland Together

Is the Donovan Mitchell-Darius Garland tandem the Cavaliers' version of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?

Dec 6, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrate in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

As soon as the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the playoffs last month, we instantly heard speculation that the Cavaliers could look to split up the Donovan Mitchell-Darius Garland duo.

Cleveland acquired Mitchell in a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz in September 2022 and were hoping that he would form a lethal tandem with Garland.

While the Cavs have certainly been a heck of a lot better since landing Mitchell, they haven't played up to expectations.

The Cavaliers won 51 games during the 2022-23 campaign, but were bounced from the first round by the New York Knicks. Then, this season, Cleveland went 48-34 and defeated the Orlando Magic in a tight seven-game series before bowing out to the Boston Celtics.

There is no shame in losing to the Celtics, who won 64 games during the regular season and steamrolled through the playoffs on their way to an NBA championship. But it was the Cavs' somewhat middling performance throughout the year as a whole that has many wondering if the Cavaliers should break up their core (namely, if they should move Garland).

The funny thing is, we heard the same thing about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston the last couple of years. Now look at them.

I am not saying the Mitchell-Garland pairing is as good as what the Celtics have in Beantown. However, the C's should serve as a cautionary tale to any NBA ballclub that is considering breaking up a talented young duo in the genesis of their relationship.

Mitchell just averaged a career-high 26.6 points per game playing alongside of Garland. His true-shooting percentage in each of the last two seasons was better than anything he posted in Utah. He also registered a lifetime-best 6.1 assists a night this year.

Garland's numbers have certainly dipped, particularly this season when he logged 18 points per game on 44.6/37.1/83.4 shooting splits. That was good for a rather pedestrian true-shooting percentage of 56 percent. That being said, the 2022-23 campaign represented the most efficient season of Garland's NBA tenure, so his production definitely hasn't suffered too much playing with Mitchell.

If anything, the Cavaliers should be more worried about Garland's penchant for injury, as he played in just 57 games this year and has never appeared in 70 contests in any one campaign since entering the league in 2019. That is actually a legitimate reason to consider trading him. But to move him because of his so-called "poor chemistry" with Mitchell? It's way too early for that.

The fact of the matter is that Cleveland boasts a pair of very gifted young scorers who are actually both underrated playmakers. And while neither Mitchell nor Garland are going to make any All-Defensive teams, they aren't bad defenders when they are locked in, either.

There are plenty of clubs around the NBA who would love to be in the Cavs' position. Finding guys like Mitchell and Garland is not easy. Do they have their warts? Sure, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better situation—a realistic one—for the Cavaliers at the moment.

Mitchell seems poised to sign an extension with Cleveland relatively soon, and Garland is already under contract through 2028. The Cavs should ride this out for at least one more year. If no progress is made or if the Cavaliers actually go backward next season, then maybe we can revisit this.

But for now? I'll support the heck out of Cleveland keeping Mitchell and Garland together heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

Verdict: Buy.