Point Priority: Why Darius Garland Could Be Spurs' Best Option This Offseason

Bringing in a veteran point guard is one of the San Antonio Spurs' two major options to improve this offseason, and Cleveland Cavaliers playmaker Darius Garland just might be the best available.

May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Orlando Magic in game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest priority on the San Antonio Spurs’ off-season agenda is unquestionably finding a franchise-caliber point guard.

Victor Wembanyama is in desperate need of a confident floor general to play alongside him for the foreseeable future, so plenty of names have been drawn  to potentially help solve that problem. 

Although the Atlanta Hawks duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray have garnered much of the conversation, rumblings of a potential divorce with the Cleveland Cavaliers could leave Darius Garland as another option for San Antonio to choose from. 

Through five seasons in the NBA, the 24-year-old has built a reputation as one of the most talented young points guards across the league. He was selected as an All-Star in 2022, and while he hasn’t earned that recognition since, he’s been pivotal in getting the Cavaliers back into serious playoff contention. 

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Garland is coming off a year averaging 18 points, 6.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from behind the arc — an adequate campaign even with a slight dip in production from previous seasons. Much of that has to do with Donovan Mitchell commanding much of the offense in his own right, averaging a considerably higher 27 points a game.

The guard tandem has had differing amounts of success in their two seasons together, and after an underwhelming five-game series loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round, it seems like it might be the final nail in the coffin of their partnership. It’s clear that Cleveland will prioritize keeping the more-proven Mitchell around, so moving on from Garland seems like the most likely option. 

Playing with another ball-dominant guard hasn’t let Garland flourish over the last two years. Combined with nagging injuries that have caused missed games to stack up, his tenure with the Cavaliers is potentially reaching a disappointing conclusion.

But if any team was going to help him get back on track, it’d be the Spurs. 

Apr 30, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) drives to the basket against Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the second half in game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Garland would be inserted as the primary ball handler in San Antonio immediately, receiving a massive green light to play his brand of basketball. He’d have the confidence of the team to become more of a scorer and offensive weapon, while also dishing out plays to Wembanyama and company. He’s exactly the type of floor general it desires, especially for a team in the early stages of a rebuild.

Wembanyma desperately lacked a point guard who could help him get better looks and run a smoother offense in his rookie year, which didn’t make an already difficult season any easier. The potential to have Garland step in that role would be incredibly beneficial for the 20-year-old, giving him a leader with ample playoff experience to help his developmental process. 

Garland also hasn’t had a pick-and-roll threat near as dangerous offensively as Wembanyama, giving him reasonable interest in the pairing, too. He already made a successful pairing with Jarrett Allen, but with a generational talent, the heights they could each go are much higher.

Opposing teams certainly wouldn’t enjoy going up against that duo, and it’s one that could stick together for the next several years. 

Getting a player at the level of Garland is going to cost the Spurs some key pieces on their roster, whether it be Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell or Malaki Branham. They also hold the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the draft, two enticing spots that Cleveland would likely be interested in. Although the asks need to be reasonable, San Antonio shouldn’t hesitate too much when figuring out a trade package.

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There aren’t too many other options on the market that hold the same value as Garland at the point guard position, and getting that guy is the biggest need that has to be fulfilled to keep Wembanyama on the trajectory and pace he is going. Garland solves a lot of the problems plaguing the young Spurs right now, and it’d show to the rookie that winning is be the franchise’s mindset. 

In other words, San Antonio has a chance to already make a big move in its new era, and until it finally gets that illusive point guard, the conversations won’t stop.

Garland just might be him.