Cavaliers Secure Darius Garland To Max Deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers have secured All-Star Darius Garland to a five-year, $193 million max contract extension, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Garland could earn up to $231 million as the deal includes All-NBA escalators.

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

The 22-year-old had a breakout year for the Cavaliers this past season. Garland averaged 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three.

With his strong campaign, the 6-foot-1 point guard earned his first All-Star selection. His jump was a huge reason why Cleveland was in the mix for a playoff spot all season long.

The Cavs found themselves hovering in the middle seeds of Eastern Conference playoff standings midway through the campaign. However, due to injuries, they dropped to the 8th seed and fell to more experienced teams (the Brooklyn Nets, then the Atlanta Hawks) in the play-in tournament.

Cleveland should take another step this season as their nucleus of Garland, All-Star center Jarrett Allen, and Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Mobley take the next step this season.