Cavaliers Darius Garland Out for 4-5 Months After Toe Surgery: Impact on Team and Future
The Cleveland Cavaliers' star point guard, Darius Garland, has been forced to undergo "great toe surgery" on Monday, which will keep him out of the game for 4-5 months. The team announced the news, stating that Garland will miss the upcoming offseason and the start of the 2025-26 NBA season due to the surgery.
Garland, 25, has been a key player for the Cavaliers this season, averaging 20.6 points and 6.7 assists per game. His contributions helped the team finish the regular season with a 64-18 record and secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, as the regular season came to a close, Garland dealt with the injury, which was revealed following the team's March 23 game in Utah. He was able to manage the injury down the stretch but re-aggravated it during the playoffs. After playing in the first two games of the postseason, Garland missed Games 3 and 4 against the Miami Heat due to the injury.
Despite Garland's presence in the final three games of the series against the Indiana Pacers, the Cavaliers fell to the Pacers in five games. Garland averaged 14 points and four assists in that series.
Garland has spent his entire six-year NBA career with the Cavaliers after being drafted as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He's averaged 18.9 points and 6.7 assists over his career. The injury likely ensures he'll remain with the Cavaliers next year, despite reports that he was a candidate to be traded in the offseason.
The Cavaliers are hopeful that Garland will make a full recovery and resume basketball activities by the start of training camp next season. While he's expected to take part in activities during camp, there's a chance the injury keeps him off the court at the start of the season, according to Shams Charania.
The Cavaliers will have to navigate without Garland for an extended period, but they will be relying on other players to step up and fill his role in the meantime. The team will be hoping for a speedy recovery for their star point guard so they can continue their success next season.
