Darius Garland Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Ivey, Pistons, George, Carter, Cavs

November 23rd, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Playing in his first regular season game since January 1, Pistons guard Jaden Ivey made his season debut on Saturday in Milwaukee and helped his team pick up its 12th straight win by registering 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Ivey said during his post-game media session that he “cherished the moment” to be back on the court after being sidelined due to a fractured left fibula last season and right knee surgery this fall. Ivey said he had “so much gratitude to be out there again,” and his head coach suggested the team reciprocated that feeling.

“We’re just happy to have him back,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters, including Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “That’s the most important thing. For him to have that joy and competition and competing with his teammates, that was the most important thing for him out there. Obviously you see the way that he can impact the game at a high level. Fifteen minutes is hard to catch a rhythm sometimes but I thought he did all the things we needed him to do. This was just more celebration of his journey to get back out on the court and we were happy to be a part of it.”

All 13 Pistons who were active for the game saw the court in the 129-116 win over the Bucks, with 11 logging at least 13 minutes. Bickerstaff said after the victory that he’s going to try using a 12-man rotation going forward as he assesses Detroit’s best lineups and fits.

“We’re going to give guys opportunity, especially in the first half and see how the game progresses in the second half,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Sankofa). “It may not always be easy but guys are going to have an opportunity because they’ve earned it.”

We have more from across the Eastern Conference:

With the 14-2 Pistons sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings and well positioned from a salary cap perspective for in-season roster moves, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates whether it makes sense for them to try to make a major trade before February’s deadline. Gozlan ultimately concludes that Detroit is more likely to wait until the 2026 offseason to take a big swing.
Sixers forward Paul George played well in his second game back from knee surgery on Thursday, contributing 21 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes of action. George’s conditioning still isn’t 100%, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, but he provides the team with some stability at the forward spot and said all the right things after the game about his role. “Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said, referring to Tyrese Maxey. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.”
Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. has been an under-the-radar impact role player for the Magic so far this season, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who takes a look at the ways in which Carter is making the team better both offensively and defensively. “Both sides of the floor, (he has) a huge gravitation. Whether that’s rebounding, defensive position, I feel like that’s stuff that maybe goes unnoticed,” teammate Tristan Da Silva said of Carter, who is averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on .530/.458/.797 shooting.
Darius Garland (toe) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion) returned to the Cavaliers‘ lineup on Friday after missing five games apiece due to injuries and were on minutes restrictions of roughly 30 minutes, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. While the Cavs got some reinforcements in that game, they remain banged up as they prepare to host the Clippers on Sunday. Jarrett Allen (finger) will miss a second consecutive contest, while Craig Porter Jr. has been ruled out for the first time this season due to a left hamstring strain, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Injury Notes: Leonard, Jerome, Murray-Boyles, Heat, Cavs

November 20th, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard went through portions of Wednesday’s practice, though he didn’t do any contact drills, head coach Tyronn Lue told Law Murray of The Athletic and other media members (Twitter video link).

“He did a few things,” Lue said. ” … He’s definitely gotten better. I mean, I don’t know how long it’s gonna be (until he returns). But he’s definitely gotten better. Just seeing him on the floor yesterday was really good to see.”

Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, was off to a strong start this fall prior to suffering right ankle and foot sprains on November 3. The Clips were 3-3 in the six games Leonard played but have gone just 1-7 without their highest-paid player. The 34-year-old missed his ninth straight game on Thursday in Orlando.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Free agent addition Ty Jerome has yet to play for the Grizzlies in 2025/26 after suffering a high-grade right calf strain during the preseason. The seventh-year guard will be reevaluated on Friday, with a return timeline expected to come in the days after that examination, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Collin Murray-Boyles, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 draft, will miss his second straight game on Friday due to an MCL sprain in his right knee, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca relays (via Twitter). The Raptors forward/center has averaged 8.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game through 11 appearances as a rookie, with a shooting line of .500/.500/.762.
Heat forward Andrew Wiggins has been diagnosed with a left hip flexor strain and will be sidelined for his first game of the season on Friday in Chicago, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Fourth-year forward Nikola Jovic was ruled out of Wednesday’s game with a right hip impingement and will miss at least two more, as he didn’t travel with the team on its two-game road trip, Jackson reports.
While Cavaliers sharpshooter Sam Merrill will be out for the second straight contest on Friday with a right hand sprain, it’s possible point guard Darius Garland could return to action. The two-time All-Star is questionable against Indiana, per the NBA’s injury report, as are Jarrett Allen (right third finger strain) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion). Garland has missed the past five games after re-injuring his surgically repaired left great toe last week, but head coach Kenny Atkinson recently said the 25-year-old was “really close” to suiting up.

Injury Notes: Melton, Banchero, McDaniels, Garland

November 19th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors provided an update on guard De’Anthony Melton on Wednesday, announcing in a press release that Melton has intensified his workouts and participated in practices and scrimmages with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League (Twitter link). According to the club, Melton will continue to be integrated in practices and scrimmages with the NBA team and will be reevaluated in 10 days.

Melton tore his ACL last November and underwent surgery to repair the tear on December 4, sidelining him for the rest of the 2024/25 season. He has continued to progress through the final stages of his recovery after rejoining Golden State on a minimum-salary deal prior to the season.

According to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link), December has been the “floating target” for Melton’s season debut, so he could be just a few weeks away from returning to action.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who is dealing with a left groin strain, will remain out for a fourth straight game on Thursday vs. the Clippers, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. It’s worth keeping a close eye on how much time Banchero misses, since his maximum-salary rookie scale extension includes Rose Rule language — he could earn a significant raise if he makes an All-NBA team this season, but he’d only be eligible if he appears in at least 65 games.
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has been diagnosed with a sprained left wrist after exiting Monday’s game in the third quarter due to the injury, per The Associated Press. McDaniels will sit out on Wednesday vs. Washington, marking his first injury absence since December 8, 2023. The 25-year-old is off to a hot start, having averaged 17.5 points per contest with a 52.1% mark on three-pointers through 14 games.
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland will miss a fifth straight game on Wednesday after re-injuring his surgically repaired left great toe last week, but head coach Kenny Atkinson doesn’t anticipate Garland’s absence lasting much longer. “He is close,” Atkinson said (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com). “Really close.”

Injury Notes: LeBron, Garland, Sharpe, Morant, Edey

November 12th, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Lakers star LeBron James has been assigned to the G League today in order to practice with the South Bay Lakers, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

James, whose season debut has been delayed while he deals with sciatica on his right side, is being sent to the G League for the first time since he entered the NBA in 2003. The assignment will, of course, be a brief one, giving the 40-year-old an opportunity to take part in his first full practice of the season, including 5-on-5 play, Charania notes.

Charania reported nearly a month ago that James and the Lakers were targeting mid-November for his 2025/26 debut. His progress so far appears to line up with that timeline.

The Lakers, led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, have played well in James’ absence, winning eight of their first 11 games this season.

We have a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers announced today that point guard Darius Garland has been diagnosed with a contusion on his left great toe after re-injuring that surgically repaired toe in Monday’s game vs. Miami (Twitter link). While Garland will miss Wednesday’s rematch with the Heat, the diagnosis is a best-case scenario for him and the Cavs, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who notes that the team hasn’t ruled out the point guard for any additional games yet. Garland will receive daily treatment and his status will be updated as appropriate, per the club.
Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe sat out on Tuesday vs. Toronto due to what the team referred to as a left glute contusion, but the injury isn’t considered significant, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). “He’s day-to-day, we’re not concerned,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And we want to make sure he feels good and mentally in a good place to be ready to play. So, that’s all good news, and it’s an opportunity for the next man up.” One of those “next men up” could be rookie forward Danny Wolf, who was recalled from the G League before Tuesday’s game and made his second NBA appearance.
While Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is questionable to play on Wednesday vs. the Celtics due to right ankle soreness, center Zach Edey (left ankle surgery recovery) has taken another step toward his season debut, having been upgraded from out to doubtful, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. While he may not play on Wednesday in Boston, Edey could be available for Saturday’s game in Cleveland. “I’ve seen him on the court working out,” teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “I’m excited for him to be back.”

Eastern Notes: Ware, Cavs Injuries, Shead, White

November 11th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat second-year big man Kel’el Ware had 14 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in 34 minutes while making his third straight start in place of the injured Bam Adebayo on Monday. Miami pulled out an overtime win over Cleveland and coach Erik Spoelsta heaped praise on Ware.

“That’s the best game he’s played in a Miami Heat uniform,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I don’t care what the stats are. I know he had 20 rebounds. But those efforts on the glass were incredible. And he was reliable defensively. He was with it. He was in the right spots. (Evan) Mobley made a couple great shots, but Kel’el was there. He was there, doing the right thing.”

The Heat have won all three games Ware has filled in for Adebayo.

“I feel like that’s something they always wanted to see,” Ware said. “They’ve been wanting to see it from me. It feels [good] to see them encouraging me on that end and proud of me for bringing that out.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavaliers will be missing three starters in their rematch against Miami on Wednesday, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets. Darius Garland (injury management — left big toe), Donovan Mitchell (rest) and Evan Mobley (rest) are listed as out, while Larry Nance Jr. (knee contusion) is considered questionable.
Jamal Shead has continued to give the Raptors a reliable play-maker off the bench in his second season, Michael Grange of Sportnet writes. “He’s able to do a lot of things,” forward Brandon Ingram said. “We know what he can do on the defensive end, but he’s able to attack the paint, he’s always searching for guys. He knows he’s playing with scorers, so when he gets the ball, he’s trying to attack, and he always knows where guys are.” In 10 games, Shead is averaging 6.4 points and 5.0 assists, compared to 1.1 turnovers, in 17.4 minutes per game. He’s making just $1.96MM this season and Toronto holds a club option on his contract for next season.
Coby White (strained right calf) made it through a practice on Monday with the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s G League affiliate. White, who has yet to make his season debut, could return at some point during the team’s upcoming road trip, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports, though he won’t play on Wednesday when they visit Detroit. ‘‘Everything that I heard was that it went well,’’ head coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘I think the biggest thing is always trying to find out the next day how it went. The plan right now . . . would be to get back into practice with us when we get back from Detroit. We’ll have three days. One of those days, we’ll certainly have contact. The plan is to get him into that practice pretty extensively.’’

Darius Garland Exits Monday’s Game With Left Toe Injury

November 11th, 2025 at 6:59am CST by Rory Maher

November 11: Garland’s latest injury is affecting his left big toe, the same one he underwent surgery to address during the offeason, Fedor confirms for Cleveland.com (subscription required). According to Fedor, there was “palpable concern” about the setback on Monday night.

Garland will undergo further evaluation on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury, Fedor adds.

November 10: All-Star point guard Darius Garland has been ruled out for the remainder of Monday’s contest in Miami after sustaining a left toe injury. He will be reevaluated after the game, the Cavaliers announced (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com).

According to Fedor (Twitter links), Garland came up limping in both the first and second halves. While the 25-year-old was able to shake off the discomfort the first time around, he took an intentional foul to leave the game in the second half and went straight back to the locker room.

It’s a worrisome development for the Cavaliers, as Garland just made his season debut last Wednesday after working his way back from offseason surgery on his left big toe. It’s unclear if Garland’s latest injury is on the same toe.

Garland had an excellent regular season in 2024/25, averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 30.7 minutes per game. He posted a .472/.401/.878 shooting line and earned the second All-Star berth of his career.

However, a turf toe injury forced Garland to the sidelines for the final two games of the Cavs’ first-round series vs. Miami and the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Indiana. Surgery was ultimately deemed necessary to address that toe injury, and Garland underwent a procedure in early June.

Prior to Monday’s game, Garland had made two appearances this fall, averaging 14.0 PPG and 6.5 APG in 27.0 MPG.

Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball, Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter Jr. are among the Cavs who could receive more minutes if Garland is sidelined beyond Monday’s game.

Central Notes: Garland, Beasley, Pacers, Rivers

November 7th, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers enjoyed their most productive offensive night of the season on Wednesday as they welcomed back Darius Garland, writes Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Garland returned in a victory over Philadelphia after missing the team’s first seven games while recovering from surgery in June on his left big toe. He contributed eight points and four assists in 26 minutes as Cleveland erupted for 132 points.

“Seeing the ball go through the hoop, passing the ball to 45 (Donovan Mitchell), Ev (Evan Mobley) and JA (Jarrett Allen) for sure,” Garland responded when asked what he missed while he was sidelined. “It was great to be back with the teammates. Being around them makes me happy.”

Reedy points out that the Cavs, who led the league in offensive rating last season at 121.0, were fifth-worst heading into Wednesday at 111.3. Coach Kenny Atkinson said the offense has been “clunky” because several players were forced into roles they aren’t used to.

Mitchell, who finished with a season-best 46 points, also recognizes the value of having Garland on the court.

“You have a guy that can initiate, get the easy shots and make everyone’s job easier,” he said. “When you have a guy who’s an All-Star, you have to pay attention where he’s at. When you know you have a guy out there that can create, it puts everyone at ease.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

There’s mutual interest in a reunion between the Pistons and Malik Beasley, assuming he’s eventually cleared in a federal gambling investigation, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Siegel points out that Javonte Green‘s contract only carries a partial guarantee (currently $925,106), so he could easily be waived to make room for Beasley. Siegel also hears that the Cavaliers, who are carrying an open roster spot, still have interest in signing Beasley to bolster their outside shooting. A report on Wednesday stated that Beasley has received interest from teams overseas as well.
Despite a 1-7 start and a slew of injuries, the Pacers aren’t expected to become major sellers going into the trade deadline, Siegel adds. Indiana is focused on “financial positioning” and keeping a competitive roster together for Tyrese Haliburton‘s expected return next season. Siegel says it would be surprising if the team is willing to part with Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell or Aaron Nesmith.
Doc Rivers’ reliance on an all-bench units has been a surprising part of the Bucks‘ early success, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Rivers has played lineups that feature no starters against units with at least one starter more than any other coach in the league.

Darius Garland Could Make Season Debut On Wednesday

November 4th, 2025 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland could make his season debut as soon as Wednesday vs. Philadelphia, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who reports that Garland will have his status upgraded on the team’s injury report.

Although Charania’s wording suggests Garland isn’t yet a lock to play Wednesday, it sounds like his goal is to suit up for that game, barring a setback today or tomorrow. If the 25-year-old isn’t ready to be activated against the Sixers, his next opportunity to return would be on Friday in Washington.

Garland had an excellent regular season in 2024/25, averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game. He posted a .472/.401/.878 shooting line and earned the second All-Star berth of his career.

However, a turf toe injury forced Garland to the sidelines for the final two games of the Cavaliers’ first-round series vs. Miami and the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Indiana. Surgery was ultimately deemed necessary to address that toe injury, so Garland underwent a procedure in early June. Reporting at the time indicated that he would miss the start of the ’25/26 season.

With both Garland and starting small forward Max Strus (foot surgery) sidelined this fall and some other players dealing with minor health issues, the Cavs have used a handful of different starting fives to open the season. Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, De’Andre Hunter, and Larry Nance Jr. are among the players to earn starts, along with lineup mainstays Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

While it’s safe to assume Garland will immediately be reinserted into Cleveland’s starting lineup, he seems likely to be on a minutes restriction as he gets reacclimated.

Injury Notes: Robinson, Joe, Garland, Collier, Barlow

October 30th, 2025 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson went through a full practice on Thursday and head coach Mike Brown says he’ll be a game-time decision for Friday’s contest in Chicago, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter links).

Robinson has been held out of the first four games of the regular season with what New York has deemed left ankle injury management. There has been no indication from the Knicks that the 27-year-old big man has suffered a new injury or setback.

Robinson didn’t make his 2024/25 debut until February 28 while recovering from offseason ankle surgery and only played in 17 regular season contests down the stretch. He also appeared in 18 playoff games for New York last spring.

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

Thunder wing Isaiah Joe will be available to make his season debut on Thursday vs. Washington, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. After averaging a career-high 21.7 minutes per game in 74 outings for Oklahoma City last season, Joe has been inactive to open the 2025/26 campaign due to a left knee contusion.
Coming off toe surgery, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland isn’t facing any restrictions in practices and has been “scrimmaging and everything,” a source tells Spencer Davies of ClutchPoints. The team is being cautious with his return and won’t bring him back too early, but Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints recently reported that a return during the first half of November is very much in play for the two-time All-Star.
Second-year Jazz point guard Isaiah Collier has been cleared for full on-court work, the team announced today (via Twitter), adding that he’ll be assigned to the G League on Friday as he ramps up his conditioning ahead of his season debut. Collier has been sidelined while recovering from a right hamstring strain.
After starting the first two games of the season, Sixers forward Dominick Barlow has missed the past two and will remain out for at least two more due to his right elbow laceration, per the club (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). That means Barlow, who will be reevaluated early next week, won’t play against Boston on Friday or Brooklyn on Sunday.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Cavaliers Notes: Merrill, Mitchell, Garland

October 28th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Weighed down by salary cap concerns, the Cavaliers made Sam Merrill a priority in free agency. They re-signed him to a team-friendly four-year, $38MM contract. The early returns have been very promising, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). After Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, coach Kenny Atkinson has “probably been our best player over the first three games.”

“Guys just love playing with him,” Atkinson said. “He’s a winner. That’s why we gave him a nice contract this offseason. If there’s ever a guy that deserved it, he’s the guy.”

Merrill has been starting in the early going. Last season, Merrill averaged 7.2 points on 40.6% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.

“When you’re in a position that I have been in, it’s you want to almost know your place type of thing,” Merrill said. “But having been with these guys for three or four years, we all have trust in each other, and we all listen to each other. I’m not out here pretending I’m a 10-time All-Star or anything. But I know guys trust in what I have to say and as long as everyone is on the same page and having that trust in being accountable, I guess anyone can say what they need to say.”

Merrill only played 18 minutes at Detroit on Monday due to a hip injury.

“He’s hurting,” Atkinson said, per Spencer Davies of Clutch Points. “When Sam can’t come back in the game, it’s [painful]. I think Evan [Mobley] actually hit him in the hip. Somehow they [collided].”

We have more on the Cavaliers:

Atkinson believes Donovan Mitchell is underappreciated on a national basis. Mitchell tore up the Pistons with 35 points on the second game of a back-to-back. “I think he’s underrated,” Atkinson said. “First Team All-NBA, I don’t know why people don’t talk about him more. Because he’s no controversy, low-key, humble? Does that equal, you get underrated because of that personality? I don’t know.”
Guard Darius Garland was assigned to the G League’s Cleveland Charge for conditioning purposes, according to the NBA transactions log at RealGM.com. Garland is working his way back from offseason toe surgery. Mitchell’s backcourt partner in the middle of a five-year contract and his salary carries a cap hit of $39,446,090 this season.
Merrill, who has been diagnosed with a right hip contusion, won’t play against the Celtics on Wednesday, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com relays. Garland also remains listed as out.