NBA
Cavs’ Darius Garland received a positive injury update from head coach Kenny Atkinson
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated37 minutes ago on October 15, 2025
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the core of their lineup returning for the 2025-26 season. That includes Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, DeAndre Hunter, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
However, one player could miss time to start the year. Late in the 2024-25 season, Cavs guard Darius Garland suffered a toe injury. He had offseason surgery in June, and Garland is still recovering from the injury. Recently, head coach Kenny Atkinson gave a positive injury update for the all-star PG. Atkinson noted that Garland took a “good step” in his recovery this week.
Will Darius Garland be available for Cleveland’s first game of the 2025-26 season?
#Cavs Darius Garland took a “good step” in his injury recovery earlier todayhttps://t.co/DaToguDFgN
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) October 14, 2025
In 2024-25, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished 64-18, the top record in the Eastern Conference. Despite the regular season success, the Cavs were unable to achieve their ultimate goal. Winning the NBA Finals. Cleveland was bounced in the East semi-finals by the Indiana Pacers. During their playoff run, the Cavs were not at full strength. Starting PG Darius Garland was dealing with a lingering toe injury, and he was not himself. During the 2025 offseason, Darius Garland had toe surgery.
His recovery timeline is four to five months. On Tuesday, October 14, the Cavaliers had their final preseason game. Darius Garland did not participate in any of those contests. Barring a major improvement, Cleveland will likely be without Garland to begin the 2025-26 season. Not ideal for the Cavs, but the team does have depth they can turn to. Sam Merrill is expected to start at PG for the Cleveland.
Kenny Atkinson said that Darius Garland went through a little bit of 5-on-5 after shootaround today with the stay ready group.
Definitely a positive sign in his recovery process, but how he responds to it will be important.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) October 14, 2025
Merrill signed a four-year, $38 million contract extension with the Cavs this offseason. He played in 74 games last season and made four starts for the Cavaliers. Speaking with the media on Tuesday, head coach Kenny Atkinson gave a positive injury update for Darius Garland. He noted that Garland took a “good step” in his recovery. Additionally, he noted that Garland participated in some “very short” five-on-five work.
Kenny Atkinson and the Cavs’ coaching staff are aware of the injury Garland is recovering from. Turf toe is no joke, and Atkinson knows it will take time for Darius Garland to come back. The last thing the team plans to do is force Garland to return too soon. They do not want to risk further injury. Cleveland will begin the 2025-26 season with Darius Garland on the bench. At some point, he will make his return to the starting lineup for the Cavaliers.
