Overview

• Both Darius Garland and Max Strus are recovering from left foot procedures and are likely to miss time when the regular season opens on Oct. 22.
• Strus suffered a late‑August Jones fracture during a workout and had surgery overseen by Dr. David Porter with team physician Dr. James Rosneck, with doctors projecting three to four months before resuming basketball activity and an extended ramp‑up that could cost him nearly half the season.
• Roughly five weeks post‑op, Strus walked without a boot at media day and has a six‑week checkup next week to determine the start of his ramp‑up.
• Garland, who had left great‑toe surgery in June, said he has been back on the court doing full work for about a month but is still expected to miss early games as he builds conditioning.
• Cleveland points to offseason depth moves and role adjustments—Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., rookie Tyrese Proctor and Sam Merrill’s extension—with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley preparing to shoulder more playmaking early.