After both Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton went down with Achilles injuries in last year's playoffs, many expected the Eastern Conference to be up for grabs.
With Boston and Indiana expected to be out of the race, many turned to the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to lead the conference in the 2025-26 season. That hasn't been the case. Although the Knicks are near the top of the standings, the Cavaliers have taken a massive step back.
After a home loss on Sunday to the Charlotte Hornets, the Cavaliers are just over.500 at 15-12, eighth in the conference.
Amid Cleveland's struggles, a blockbuster trade could be on the horizon. According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, point guard Darius Garland is expected to garner significant trade interest at this year's deadline.
Garland has had trouble with injuries this season, missing 16 of Cleveland's 27 games due to injury thus far. Albeit a small sample size, Garland is averaging his fewest points per game since his rookie season (2019-20).
That said, he did score 26 points to go along with nine assists in Sunday's game.
If Cleveland were to trade Garland, Lonzo Ball would be the likely choice to take his place in the starting lineup. Although, Cleveland could continue to use Ball off the bench and trust Donovan Mitchell with the point guard duties when Ball is off the floor.
Teams that are likely to shop for a point guard at the trade deadline include: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets.
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