"It's grown men with family and kids that have to really put food on the table" - Cleveland Cavaliers guard opens up about the competitiveness in the NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the most surprising teams in the NBA last season. Despite not making the playoffs, the Cavaliers are in good hands, led by Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Garland recently opened up about the competitiveness in the league.
In a recent appearance on the "Varsity House" podcast, Garland was asked about the competition in the NBA. The All-Star guard explained that it is very serious due to the amount of money involved. Players are going hard because they want to earn a nice contract to help their families.
"When you get to the league, it's serious," Garland said. "Like you playing for M's. You playing for a contract. It's grown men with family and kids that have to really put foot on the table. Like going at your neck for 48 minutes."
"Like trying to dunk on you. It's serious, bro. Like put a elbow in your nose, like in your chest."
Darius Garland on the competitiveness of an NBA game. 😳
(via @varsityhousepod) https://t.co/csBIKu9VyA
Speaking of contracts, Garland earned his massive extension this summer. He was a first time All-Star, averaging Garland, 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 46.2% from the field and 89.2% from the free throw line. He also finished third in the Most Improved Player of the Year voting.
The Cavaliers rewarded Garland with a five-year, $193 million contract extension. The deal could increase to as much as $231 million depending on his performance. Garland led Cleveland to an impressive 44-38 record last season.
"Darius has proven to be a tremendous basketball player and someone who embodies everything a franchise would want in a young player," Cavaliers president Koby Altman said in a statement. "We've quickly seen Darius grow into an NBA All-Star and an integral core piece in our pursuit of sustainable success."
"Both on and off the court, Darius has demonstrated a strong commitment to this organization and the community. We look forward to our future and what we can accomplish here in Cleveland."
What's next for the Cleveland Cavaliers?
At some point last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were among the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. However, injuries slowed them down towards the end of the season. Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland all missed a significant number of games.
The Cavaliers also lost Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton early on in the season. Nevertheless, they managed to maintain a winning record and finished in seventh place in the conference standings. But what did the Cavaliers do this summer?
In addition to locking up Garland to an extension, the Cavaliers re-signed Rubio to a contract after trading him at the deadline. Rubio could be out for the rest of the season, but his voice on the bench and in the locker room is important.
They also added veteran center Robin Lopez, while picking Ochai Agbaji in the first round of the 2022 draft. The only thing missing for the Cavaliers is signing Sexton to a new contract.