Cavaliers Announce Darius Garland Development Before NBA Season

Garland underwent surgery in June to address a sprained left big toe sustained late last season and aggravated during the playoffs. Since then, he has resumed practicing with the team but has yet to appear in game action, missing all four of Cleveland’s preseason contests.

Fortunately, head coach Kenny Atkinson offered a promising update on Garland’s status Monday. “Kenny Atkinson said that the team had a live practice today and Darius Garland took part in most of it. Said they need to see how he responds, but certainly a good sign for the #Cavs,” wrote Danny Cunningham of The Inside Shot.

While Garland’s return timetable remains uncertain, his near-full participation in practice suggests his return could come sooner rather than later. The Cavaliers open the regular season Wednesday against the New York Knicks.

As Garland continues to prepare for his season debut, the guard has made it clear that if Cleveland stays healthy, he expects the group to make a deep run in the playoffs. The Cavaliers were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of last year’s postseason in five games, but the roster was far from full strength. Garland missed a game during the series, while Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter were also sidelined with injuries.

When asked how far the team could have gone if they were not banged up, Garland did not hesitate. “I think we would have won it. I say that pretty confidently,” he said during an appearance on Sirius XM NBA Radio. Garland will have a chance to back up that belief this year, as the Cavaliers retained much of the core and enter the season with high expectations.