The Eastern Conference picture looked wide open heading into the 2025-26 season. With Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton both sidelined due to Achilles injuries suffered in last year’s playoffs, the assumption was that Boston and Indiana would take a step back. That opened the door for teams like the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to potentially rise to the top of the East.
Well, the Knicks have held up their end of the bargain-hovering near the top of the standings-but the Cavaliers? Not so much.
Cleveland’s season has been defined by inconsistency and underperformance. Following a tough home loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, the Cavs sit at 15-12-just a shade over .500 and clinging to the eighth spot in the conference. For a team that came into the season with high expectations, that’s a clear step backward.
And now, things could be heading toward a major shakeup.
According to league sources, point guard Darius Garland is expected to draw serious trade interest as the deadline approaches. Garland, when healthy, has the kind of offensive skill set that teams covet-quick off the dribble, solid playmaker, and capable of putting up points in bunches.
But staying healthy has been the issue. He’s already missed 16 of Cleveland’s first 27 games this season, and when he has played, the production hasn’t quite matched his usual standards.
He’s averaging his lowest scoring numbers since his rookie campaign back in 2019-20.
That said, Garland showed flashes of his old self in Sunday’s loss, dropping 26 points and dishing out nine assists. It was a reminder of what he can do when he’s right-and likely a performance that will only increase his trade value.
If the Cavaliers do decide to move Garland, they’ll have a few options at point guard. Lonzo Ball, who’s been working his way back into form, would be the most natural replacement in the starting lineup.
But there’s also a scenario where Cleveland keeps Ball in his current bench role and lets Donovan Mitchell handle the bulk of the point guard duties. Mitchell has the ball-handling chops and offensive gravity to take on that load, especially in crunch-time situations.
As for potential trade partners, several teams around the league could be in the market for a point guard. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and Houston Rockets are all expected to be active at the deadline-and Garland could be exactly the type of backcourt spark they’re looking for.
Cleveland’s front office now finds itself at a crossroads. Do they stay the course and hope their current core can find its rhythm? Or do they make a bold move and retool around Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen?
One thing’s clear: the Cavs came into the season with aspirations of contending in the East. Sitting in eighth place in mid-December, with trade rumors swirling around one of their key players, they’ve got some serious decisions to make-and soon.