Suns Initiate Trade Talks for Cavs’ Darius Garland

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Phoenix Suns have reportedly expressed interest in trading for Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealed on Wednesday that it was the Suns who contacted the Cavaliers regarding Garland, rather than the Cavs initiating the discussions.

Windhorst stated, “The Suns were the ones to reach out that had interest in Garland. It was not the Cavs that wanted to trade Garland.” The discussions come during a busy offseason for both teams, as the Suns recently traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets.

Garland, entering his third season under a lucrative five-year, $197 million contract, is recovering from a toe surgery that may affect his start for the 2025-26 season. The Cavaliers reportedly told the Suns that any deal for Garland would require substantial compensation, including Durant and additional assets.

Windhorst further mentioned, “I think the Cavs’ price was basically Kevin Durant and multiple first-round picks, and the Suns were not unwilling.” A potential inclusion in the discussions could be the Cavaliers’ first-round pick from 2029, which they previously traded to the Utah Jazz.

The Cavaliers are currently facing a projected franchise-record luxury tax bill of $57 million, leaving them in a challenging financial position. Windhorst noted, “The Cavaliers would have needed to offload salary before taking on Durant,” suggesting they reached out to other teams to gauge interest for a potential third-party involvement.

Despite the buzz around Garland’s status, Windhorst emphasized that the Cavaliers do not appear eager to trade their All-Star point guard. Instead, they seem focused on making strategic moves that could lead to playoff success.

Windhorst concluded that the talks have not developed significantly and pointed out that teams such as the Brooklyn Nets might have responded to the Suns’ inquiries as potential partners in the trade. As a result, the future of Garland remains uncertain as offseason changes unfold across the league.