Cavaliers to Limit Darius Garland During Camp; Toe Surgery Likely Sidelines Guard for First Month
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CLEVELAND — All-Star point guard Darius Garland will take part only in restricted drills when the Cleveland Cavaliers open training camp next week, and the team still projects he will miss at least the first month of the 2025-26 regular season.
The 25-year-old underwent surgery in early June to repair the big-toe injury that hampered him throughout last spring’s playoffs. Cleveland president of basketball operations Koby Altman said Garland used the offseason to add strength but remains behind in conditioning.
“He looks good. He’s stronger and more stout,” Altman told reporters. “The biggest thing is how do we start to ramp him up from a conditioning standpoint? That’s not something that can happen in two weeks.”
Garland averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists last season. The injury forced him to miss the Cavaliers’ final two regular-season games and four postseason contests. Cleveland finished with the Eastern Conference’s best record but fell to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the conference semifinals.
With Garland unavailable, head coach Kenny Atkinson indicated that Donovan Mitchell could shift to point guard, while Sam Merrill would open at shooting guard. Newly acquired Lonzo Ball, obtained from the Chicago Bulls this summer, is also expected to log significant early-season minutes. “He fits what we do to a T,” Atkinson said of Ball.
The team will be without another starter as well. Forward Max Strus is projected to miss roughly two months after surgery to repair a broken left foot. Strus contributed 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 50 games (37 starts) last season. De’Andre Hunter, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, is expected to absorb most of Strus’ minutes.
The Cavaliers will conduct six days of workouts at IMG Academy in Sarasota, Florida, before providing updated timelines for both Garland and Strus.
Source: ESPN
