No. 5 NBA Draft Pick Darius Garland, Cavaliers Agree to Rookie Contract

Darius Garland is officially a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the two sides agreed to terms on a rookie contract. 

The team announced Wednesday it came to a deal with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, plus fellow first-round picks Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr. 

Under the 2019-20 NBA rookie wage scale, Garland will earn $16,802,100 over the first three years of his contract. His fourth-year team option will be worth $7.43 million. 

Garland was regarded as one of the best prospects in this year's class, despite playing just five college games at Vanderbilt. The 19-year-old tore his meniscus during a Nov. 23 loss to Kent State while going for a layup. 

There weren't any long-term concerns about Garland's ability to play at a high level coming off the injury. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman had him ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect, with particular praise given to his shooting ability:

"I'm not willing to call him a star NBA point guard given the questions surrounding his floor game. But his perimeter scoring is convincing based on his tight ball-handling for separation and decisive shot-making skill off pull-ups and spot-ups.

"He's going to give a backcourt a strong shot of offensive firepower. Garland's development as a decision-maker and playmaker could determine how much value he earns as a pro."

Vanderbilt head coach Bryce Drew was very complimentary of Garland's game in a radio interview with 92.3 The Fan:

Coming off a 19-63 record, the Cavs were in a position to simply draft the best player available. The pairing of Garland and Collin Sexton, the team's first-round pick last year, does lead to questions about how they will incorporate both players into the offense since they are at their best with the ball in their hands. 

First-year head coach John Beilein will surely figure out a way to maximize the potential of both players. Garland gives him a foundation piece to build around as they look to return to relevance in the Eastern Conference.