The Cleveland Cavaliers need to keep all their options open after another heartbreaking postseason loss.
As much as they want to keep their core four together, the harsh truth is that they need to keep an open mind and should consider all offers.
Darius Garland looked like a potential trade candidate, but now that he’s undergone surgery and might need to miss some time early in the season, his trade value has clearly taken a hit.
More than that, with the Orlando Magic trading for Desmond Bane, they will no longer be in the running to get Garland.
Per Jimmy Watkins of Cleveland.com, that trade also took a big toll on Garland’s potential trade value:
“I do think the Cavs lost one of their biggest potential Darius Garland suitors. Darius Garland’s price may have dropped a touch today because the Orlando Magic effectively took themselves out of the running,” Watkins noted, highlighting how market dynamics are specific to each player and moment rather than following predictable patterns.
There were rumors that the Cavs and Magic were potentially looking to swap point guards, with Jalen Suggs finding his way to Ohio.
Clearly, those were only rumors, as it’s highly unlikely that the Magic will look to do so now.
They added the floor-spacer they needed, so they can now afford to have a pesky defensive-minded point guard like Suggs on the court, even when he’s not making shots.
To add insult to injury, the Magic might be one of the toughest competitors in the Eastern Conference, and they just got significantly better by adding a 20+ PPG scorer who can spread the floor.
As for the Cavs, their only hope will be that Garland gets back to full strength and takes another leap next season.
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