The Cleveland Cavaliers saw their 2024-25 season come to an abrupt end earlier this week, falling to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Despite a 64-win regular season campaign — the second-best mark in franchise history — and a 16-game win streak, the Cavaliers failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third consecutive year.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson, who won Coach of the Year honors in his first season with Cleveland, helped lead a group that featured three 2025 NBA All-Stars in Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland. It marked only the fourth time in franchise history that the Cavaliers had three players selected to the All-Star Game. However, Garland’s postseason struggles have cast doubt on his future with the team. The 25-year-old guard averaged just 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds per game while shooting 34.2% from the field and 16.7% from three-point range on six attempts per game against Indiana. Those numbers were a steep decline from his regular season production, where he averaged 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 47.2% from the field and 40.1% from deep over 75 games.

With Cleveland facing another disappointing playoff exit and pressure mounting to build around Mitchell, Garland is likely to emerge as a central figure in trade discussions. Should the Cavaliers decide to retool or blow up their current roster, several teams stand out as logical suitors for the former All-Star.

The Portland Trail Blazers could be among the teams interested in Darius Garland, especially with questions surrounding the long-term fit of Anfernee Simons. Portland showed notable progress this season, improving by 15 wins to finish 36-46 under head coach Chauncey Billups. Despite missing the playoffs, the Trail Blazers appear motivated to accelerate their rebuild.

A potential trade package could include Simons ($27.6 million expiring in 2026), Robert Williams III ($13.2 million expiring), the 11th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and a 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected) in exchange for Garland and Isaac Okoro ($11 million through 2027).

Simons, 25, provides similar offensive production, averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from three over 70 games. Williams, 26, would bring additional rim protection and defensive versatility off the bench, though durability remains a concern. He played just 20 games this season and has appeared in only 61 games over the past three years. Okoro, 24, who averaged 6.1 points and shot 37.1% from deep, would give Portland a young defensive wing.

The Toronto Raptors made a major splash at the trade deadline by acquiring Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, pairing him with Scottie Barnes to form a new core. Toronto ended the season with a 30-52 record, finishing 11th in the East. With Ingram set to debut in 2025-26 and Barnes continuing to develop, the Raptors could look to add a high-level guard like Darius Garland to complete their trio.

Toronto could offer a package including Immanuel Quickley ($32.5 million through 2029), Ochai Agbaji ($6.3 million expiring), a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2028 first-round pick. Quickley, 25, averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 37.8% from three in 33 contests after the trade. Agbaji, also 25, had a career-best season, averaging 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 49.8% from the field and nearly 40% from deep.

The Cavaliers would receive a young, reliable guard in Quickley and a productive wing in Agbaji, along with future draft capital. Garland would immediately slot in as a floor-spacing shot creator next to Barnes and Ingram.

The Miami Heat, who became the first No. 10 seed to advance to the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament, were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round. The early exit exposed Miami's need for more offensive firepower in the backcourt, and Garland would be a strong fit with their current personnel.

Miami could offer a package that includes Andrew Wiggins ($28.2 million through 2027), Kyle Anderson ($9.2 million through 2027), Pelle Larsson ($1.9 million through 2027), the 20th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and a 2029 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

Wiggins, 27, returned to form this season, averaging 18 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 37.4% from three across 60 contests. Anderson, 31, a versatile veteran, added 5.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Larsson, 24, flashed rotational potential as a rookie, posting 4.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per game over 55 appearances.

Darius Garland would offer the Heat an elite shot creator to complement Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, while Cleveland would receive veteran depth and future assets.

The Houston Rockets made major strides this season, finishing 52-30 and securing the second seed in the Western Conference before falling to the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game first-round series. While their defense held up, the Rockets struggled to generate consistent offense, making Garland a potential target.

A trade scenario could feature Dillon Brooks ($21.1 million through 2027), Jabari Smith Jr. ($12.3 million expiring), Jock Landale ($8 million through 2027), the 2027 first-round pick (Brooklyn Nets swap rights), and a 2028 first-round pick.

Brooks, 29, delivered his most efficient season to date, averaging 14 points and shooting 39.7% from three over 75 games. Smith, 22, averaged 12.2 points and seven rebounds while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from three. Landale, 29, added frontcourt depth, shooting over 53% from the field and 42.3% from three in limited minutes.

For Houston, Darius Garland would immediately raise their offensive ceiling and give Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green a more dynamic backcourt partner.

The Orlando Magic regressed offensively in 2024-25, finishing 27th in points per game and dead last in playoff scoring at just 93.6 points per game. They lost in five games to the Boston Celtics in their first-round series. Injuries to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner derailed what was expected to be a follow-up to their 47-win season in 2024, as the team finished 41-41.

Orlando could attempt to fix their offensive woes and point guard depth by offering a package that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21.6 million through 2027), Cole Anthony ($13.1 million through 2027), Goga Bitadze ($8.3 million through 2027), Cory Joseph ($3.4 million expiring), the 25th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and a 2027 first-round pick in exchange for Garland and Dean Wade ($6.6 million expiring).

Caldwell-Pope, 32, averaged 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals on 34.2% shooting from deep over 77 games. Anthony, 25, provided scoring off the bench with 9.4 points per game, while Bitadze, also 25, was a reliable defensive presence, averaging 7.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 61.1% shooting. Wade, 28, added floor spacing for Cleveland, averaging 5.4 points and shooting 36% from three.

The Magic would acquire a legitimate lead guard in Garland to stabilize their offense and improve spacing, while the Cavaliers would add depth, flexibility, and two first-round picks to build around Mitchell.

If the Cavaliers decide to move on from Darius Garland, these five teams offer compelling packages that could align with Cleveland's timeline and needs.