Cleveland was on the road Monday to face the Pacers. It was their second of four meetings with Indiana this season. Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs walked away with a 135-119 win on Monday.
The team is 13-9 in 2025-26, tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference. Early in the year, Cleveland is dealing with several injuries. One of them is Darius Garland. Late last season, Garland suffered a toe injury that required offseason surgery. He missed time to begin the 2025-26 season, and his toe injury is lingering. On Monday’s broadcast, it was reported that Darius Garland’s toe injury could require “all-year management.”
Darius Garland will continue to play through a toe injury for Cleveland
Cavs broadcast today basically said the Darius toe stuff will be an all-year management thing. That’s just such a huge blow to know he won’t be operating at full capacity and that will definitely limit their offensive ceiling.
— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) December 1, 2025
So far this season, Darius Garland has played in seven of the Cavs’ 22 games. He missed the first seven games of the year due to his toe injury. Garland had surgery this offseason to help fix his toe. According to sources, Garland is not yet at full health or Cleveland. Additionally, he continues to re-aggravate the toe injury. That has limited his effectiveness on offense, a massive part of Darius Garland’s game.
In seven games, Garland is averaging 14.7 points, his lowest total sicne his rookie season. Cavaliers radio broadcaster Anthony Lima reported that Garland is dealing with a lingering toe injury. He reported that the main broadcast said Garland’s injury could require “all-year management.” That would be a critical blow to the team’s ceiling in 2025-26.
Serena Winters reports that Darius Garland has been playing with a steel plate in his shoe and is playing with a toe spacer tonight.
— Jaylon Tyson Fan Club (@IsaacOkoroFan) November 30, 2025
After a 64-18 finish in 2024-25, the Cavs are not enjoying he same success this year. The team has already lost half the number of games they lost in 2024-25. Cleveland still has three-quarters of the season to play. It doesn’t help that one of their top players will not be a full health for the remainder of the year. The Cavs have gone all-in on this year’s roster, and the early returns have left fans worried.
This season, the Cavs have the highest salary sheet at $229.8 million in 2025-26. They are in what the NBA considers the second apron, and that comes with restrictions. Cleveland is unable to trade multiple players at once and will eventually have draft picks frozen if they continue landing in the second apron. Will the Cavs make changes to the roster this offseason and part ways with a member of their core four?
