Cavs Reportedly Offered Darius Garland in Trade for Kevin Durant Before Rockets Deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly tried to make a big splash to bring another star onto the roster.

Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor said on his podcast on Monday that he "heard" the Cavs offered Darius Garland in a trade package for Kevin Durant before the 15-time All-Star was traded to the Houston Rockets on Sunday (41-minute mark).

"When exploring a KD deal, they've at least shown a willingness to think big and go for a big star player," O'Connor said. "So maybe they would."

The Phoenix Suns ultimately traded Durant to the Rockets, getting Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft and five second-round draft picks in return, but the star was interested in a handful of teams.

He reportedly preferred to be dealt to either the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat, with the Spurs being his favorite among those teams. ESPN's Shams Charania reported Sunday that the Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors also emerged as "wild card" teams for Durant.

It's unclear exactly what the package centered around Garland was, but it wasn't enough to bring Durant to Cleveland.

Garland is coming off another strong season, putting up 20.6 points and 6.7 assists to help lead the Cavs to the top seed in the East. The core of Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley ultimately underachieved in the postseason, though, losing to the Indiana Pacers in the second round.

Any time a team falls short of a championship, there is pressure to make a big move in the offseason, and the Cavs were seemingly trying to do just that. Whether they're still looking to add another star to the roster is unclear.

One name to watch could be Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. While the two-time MVP hasn't been linked to Cleveland, he could be the biggest name on the trade market should he officially ask out of Milwaukee.

Whether the Cavaliers would be willing to put together a package for Antetokounmpo remains to be seen, but the fact that they sprung for Durant indicates that they're looking to have a big offseason.

And if Cleveland was willing to throw Garland into a package for Durant, it might be willing to do so for another star. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported earlier this month that Garland could be available this offseason "under the right circumstances."

"I think there's some belief that Garland might be available under the right circumstances," Windhorst said. "But I don't think Darius Garland wants to go anywhere. I think Darius Garland is very happy with how things have developed in Cleveland and he really likes it."

Of course, teams often overcorrect after underachieving in the playoffs, and it can end up setting them up for failure in the long run. Perhaps the best move for the Cavs is to stick with the core they have and focus on adding pieces around them rather than swinging for the fences.