All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed to a five-year, $193 million designated rookie maximum extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday.
Per Wojnarowski, it is the richest contract in Cavaliers franchise history.
Garland, the fifth pick in the 2019 draft out of Vanderbilt, has steadily improved through three NBA seasons. He enjoyed his most productive campaign yet in 2021-22, averaging 21.7 points, 8.6 assists and 1.3 steals — all career highs — for a vastly improved Cavs squad that posted its best record (44-38) in four seasons.
While Cleveland lost two Play-In Tournament games to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season, hopes are high with a slew of talented young players including Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton, none of whom are older than 25.
Garland agreed to the same deal that another elite young guard, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, struck earlier in the week as the league’s offseason officially got underway.
Garland’s extension begins in the 2023-24 season and, for now, would see him making just over $33 million in the first year and escalating to $44 million in 2027-28. If he makes an All-NBA team this coming season — meaning he would have to be selected as one of the top six guards in the league, unless the league changes its voting structure before then — the numbers get even bigger, going from “max” to “supermax.”
In that scenario, Garland would start out making $40 million in 2023-24, and be due almost $53 million in 2027-28.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
