Jeff Teague tells Cleveland Cavaliers player he now has 'a responsibility' to decide the future of the NBA Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This exit was seen as a missed opportunity for the Cavs to reach the Finals, especially given the defending champion Boston Celtics' early departure. Despite this, the Cavaliers are still considered a leading contender in the East for the upcoming season, with Darius Garland identified as the key player for their potential postseason success, even though Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are their top two players.

Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague expressed high expectations for Garland, suggesting the future of drafting smaller guards in the NBA partly depends on his performance. This stems from a discussion on LeBron James and Kevin Durant's podcast about the diminishing impact of smaller guards, where Durant specifically named Garland as an example of an undersized player frequently targeted defensively. Teague believes Garland has a responsibility to prove that guards 6'2" and under can still compete effectively, particularly on defense. He warned that if Garland continues to be a defensive liability needing to be hidden, it will negatively influence how teams draft, favoring taller guards despite Garland's offensive strengths.

Teague also raised significant concerns about Garland's injury history, labeling him as injury-prone. He cited Garland missing weeks with a broken jaw two seasons prior and struggling in the recent playoffs with a toe injury, noting Garland entered the league injured and misses many games, comparing the situation to Lonzo Ball's need for a safety net.

Teague concluded that if Garland can stay healthy and improve his defense, the Cavaliers will be a formidable team in the weakened Eastern Conference next season.