CLEVELAND – Darius Garland's rapid rise to elite NBA status is complete.
Cleveland's All-Star point guard agreed Saturday to a five-year, $193 million contract extension, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told the Associated Press.
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Garland's deal is the largest in franchise history, and locks up a player the Cavs believe can get them back among the league's top teams.
The fifth overall pick in 2019, Garland has quickly developed into one of the game's best all-around guards. Last season, he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists in 68 games while helping the Cavs win 22 more games than the previous season.
The 22-year-old Garland has improved statistically each season, but beyond that, he has grown as a leader for a rising Cleveland team that just missed the playoffs last season. He's one of the team's core pieces along with All-Star center Jarrett Allen and forward Evan Mobley.
Garland agreed to the same deal that another elite young guard, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, struck earlier in the week as the majority of the league’s offseason business began getting 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 steadily, all the way 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.
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AP NBA Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
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