Cavs sign Darius Garland to five-year max extension

Darius Garland has agreed to a five-year, $193 million maximum extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers that could be worth as much as $231 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Garland, 22, was the fifth overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft and has emerged as one of the top young point guards in the NBA. During the 2021-22 season, Garland earned All-Star honors for the first time while averaging 21.7 points and 8.6 assists to lead Cleveland to its first winning record since the departure of LeBron James.

According to Wojnarowski, the escalators in Garland's contract will reach the full $231 million if he's named All-NBA in two seasons.

The Cavaliers -- led by a young core that includes Garland, Jarrett Allen, and 2021 third-overall pick Evan Mobley -- finished eighth in the Eastern Conference. The team reached the Play-In Tournament, but lost back-to-back games against the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks to miss out on the postseason. 

Garland finished the 2021-22 season with the third most votes for Most Improved Player behind the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant and San Antonio Spurs' Dejounte Murray. The latter was traded to the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week.