Darius Garland says he is feeling better, but the Cleveland Cavaliers may not have their All-Star point guard available when training camp begins.
I feel great. The recovery process is going well, Garland told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com when asked about the surgery he underwent in June on his big toe.
The injury had limited him throughout the postseason and was a major factor in the Cavs second-round exit.
But, When Fedor asked Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson for an update, he made it clear the team is preparing for the possibility that Garland is not ready to go.
And I asked him, I said, You know, as a coach, you lost Ty Jerome and Darius Garland is obviously recovering from toe surgery, Fedor explained on the Wine and Gold Podcast. Are you anticipating Darius being ready for training? And he said, No, I dont decide these things. Its going to be up to Darius and the training staff led by Steve Spiro. But he said, I dont expect him to, and I want him to take his time with this, and were not going to push it. Were not going to rush it
We have Don (Donovan Mitchell). We have Lonzo (Ball). We have CP (Craig Porter Jr.). We are kind of covered. We also have Evan (Mobley), where we can throw it to him in a trail position and have him be a play-maker.'
Garland was a steady force last season, averaging 20.6 points and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 40.1 percent from beyond the arc.
His numbers dipped in the playoffs to 18 points and 5.2 assists a night, and his three-point percentage plummeted to 28.6 percent as he struggled through the injury.
The Cavaliers are coming off a 64-win campaign and enter as favorites for the top seed in the East. But for Cleveland, the real goal is a deep postseason run, and that means making sure Garland is fully healthy when it matters most.
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