When the Cleveland Cavaliers bagged the top seed in the Eastern Conference with 64 regular-season wins, many believed this would be the year they finally win it all without LeBron. But their title dream was shockingly shattered by the Indiana Pacers with a second-round gentleman sweep, with one player getting more negative attention than he would like: Darius Garland.

In early July, a rather unusual insider information surfaced. As per Yahoo Sports‘ Kevin O’Connor on his podcast, he’d “heard” that the Cavs had offered Garland in a trade package for Kevin Durant. “When exploring a KD deal, they’ve at least shown a willingness to think big and go for a big star player. So maybe they would,” O’Connor informed. But why would a player, who helped his team finish with the best record (64-18) in the Eastern Conference (the second-best in franchise history), even be part of a trade conversation? Well, apparently, the request did not originate from the Cavs.

ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst noted some days earlier that it was actually the Phoenix Suns who reached out, expressing interest in Garland. “I think the Cavs’ price was basically Kevin Durant and multiple first-round picks, and the Suns were not unwilling,” Windhorst said. But even then, it’s surprising that the Cavs would even consider trading Garland in exchange for Durant. At least not after the player averaged 20.6 points, 6.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game in 75 games, while achieving career-best shooting percentages—47.2% from the field and 40.1% from three-point range. What was the issue then? Seemingly, his health.

The 25-year-old had suffered a toe injury that caused him to miss two games at the end of the regular season and four playoff games last season. Currently healing from a surgery, Garland is expected to be sidelined for 4-5 months, potentially affecting the start of the 2025-2026 season. Pretty justified in the face of continuous playoff failure, right? Well, the front office may want to change its stance after what Hoops Tonight‘s Jason Timpf had to say. “I actually find myself higher on the Cavs than most after that disappointment. And it’s not even because the top of the East got weaker. That certainly helps… But Darius Garland was hurt, and I really think that was the thing that prevented the Cavs from operating at their regular season peak.” Jason remarked.

Had Darius been healthy during the playoffs, the outcome could have been a lot different. That’s why it might not be fair to judge the Cavs based on their performance amid Garland’s struggles. “Darius Garland is the guy who when he’s healthy is so f—— quick that nobody can stop him from getting where he needs to get on the floor… When Darius Garland has a bad toe and he can’t plant and change direction and change speed and beat people off the dribble as effectively, he’s not breaking down the defense as well… The kickout reads aren’t as clean… Those catch and shoot looks aren’t the same,” the host added.

Sure enough, Garland played a pivotal role in Cleveland’s regular season success, averaging 20.6 points and nearly seven assists. But his numbers took a significant hit during the playoffs because of his toe injury. With their primary playmaker not at 100%, the Cavs could not play their natural game, which affected their performance. Amid the struggles, Donovan Mitchell had to resort to playing hero ball and the role players’ shots were not falling.

“Darius being hurt, it kind of felt like the head got cut off the snake in a lot of ways,” Jason added. But, once Garland returns, it might not take much time for the Cavs to return to top form and make another dominant run, both in the regular season and the playoffs. And they have already begun planning big moves to boost their chances of title contention.

One Cavs star’s future is in jeopardy as Cleveland eyes a 2X All-Star

Despite their disappointing second-round exit, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made it clear that they are not taking their eyes off the prize. So far this summer, they have made some big moves, adding Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr., while parting ways with Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro. And it looks like they are not done.

If veteran insider Chris Fedor is to be believed, there has been major discussion about potentially trading Dean Wade, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season. In his six years with the Cavs, Wade has become a valuable bench player in their rotation. Last year, he averaged 5.4 points and over four rebounds. Based on his current contract, he will make $6.6 million next season, and multiple teams are reportedly ready to pay that price.

Potential suitors include the Dallas Mavericks. Trading him would give the Cavs more financial flexibility and roster space. It could even create an opportunity to try out young star Nae’Qwan Tomlin. Meanwhile, the Cavs have also reported an interest in acquiring two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to fill their vacant roster spot. Oladipo last played for Miami in 2022-23, averaging 10.7 points and over three assists. Although he is no longer in his prime, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is a longtime fan and might not hesitate to add him to his squad. Well, Cavs look ready to shake off last season’s disappointment with potential roster moves, and once Garland makes a complete recovery, they could once again be the team to beat in the East.