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Can Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell become the NBA's most dynamic backcourt duo?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have made an impressive start to their NBA season, with guard Darius Garland asserting that their run is genuine. The team extended their record by 12-0 after a great win over the Bulls on the road. Now, the Cavs are just one win away from equaling the franchise’s longest winning streak, which they achieved in 2017.

Garland expressed his thoughts on the streak stating, “I don’t think this is just any old fluke.” the guard is confident in his team’s abilities and has shown that through his game. He won the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week for Week 3. The 24-year-old averaged 25 points and 7.3 assists during the week to achieve this award, including a 39-point haul against the Bucks.

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However, 2024 emerged as a nightmare for Garland. He missed two months because of a broken jaw and lost over ten pounds. The point guard also didn’t perform well on the court and struggled to make a mark. This even led to the rise of trade rumors which he eventually had to shut down. After coach Kenny Atkinson’s arrival, and a full three months, he has regained his All-Star form back now.

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Darius Garland has proved why the franchise trusted him in the first place from day 1 when he was picked 5th in the Draft. Garland had a dismal start to his professional career but bounced back and secured his maximum rookie extension. Now he is proving to be worth every penny of the deal he signed back in 2022. Let’s take a look at how much the Cavs star makes and other details about his deal with the Franchise.

How much is Darius Garland getting paid? A glance into his 5-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Darius Garland agreed to a record-breaking deal, in fact, the largest in the Franchise’s history. He signed a 5-year contract, worth $197 million including $197 million guaranteed. This came after a breakout third season where he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game and emerged as a major piece in taking the Cavs to the Play-ins. For his role in success, Garland earned his entry into the All-Star for the first time in his career.

Furthermore, Garland through this deal, will earn an average salary of $39.4 million, and the deal will continue through the 2027-28 season, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. For the 2024-25 NBA season, the Cavs guard will earn a sum of $36.7 million, which will further increase to $39.4 million in 2025-26.

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Can Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell become the NBA's most dynamic backcourt duo?

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Were the Los Angeles Lakers interested in Darius Garland? Agent Rich Paul explains

Earlier this year, there was a bit of uncertainty regarding Darius Garland’s future at the Cavaliers. Cleveland fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in the hope of securing Donovan Mitchell for the foreseeable future. However, there were questions if Garland would welcome a long-term backcourt partnership with Mitchell.

USA Today via Reuters

When asked about the rumors, Rich Paul, who is the agent of Garland, did not give a convincing answer as he said, “There is not much to say. I think people have their own opinions of what works and what doesn’t work.” He added to the ambiguity by saying, “As of now, there’s nothing to discuss on that. My job is to evaluate every situation for every guy that we as a company represent. I’m a representative of players, and I help advise them on business decisions. It’s a lot more to it than just negotiating a contract after four years.” Which signaled a change of scenery for his client.

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LA Lakers and Garland could potentially have linked up as the Lakers were in the market to complete their roster. Although Mitchell cleared up doubts about his teammate’s opinions. The Lakers quietly worked out with the team prior to the draft when they possessed a no.4 pick in the draft. However, now the air has been cleared, with Garland and Mitchell sharing the Cavs backcourt for the season and maybe for a few more to come.

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