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Cavs see beginning of 2025-26 season as a process without Darius Garland, Max Strus
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- Cavs see beginning of 2025-26 season as a process without Darius Garland, Max Strus
INDEPENDENCE — This regular season for the Cavaliers is primarily about preparing for a playoff run, remaining healthy at the right time and, in a best-case scenario, earning the No. 1 seed in the East.
They are still a few steps behind even being able to begin some of those processes .
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The Cavs open the regular season Oct. 22 in New York to face the Knicks in what very well could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers and Knicks are, pretty heavily, the two favored teams in the East after key injuries around the conference in last year's playoffs.
Coach Kenny Atkinson already sees it as about a 15-game process to really find out where a team stands.
For the Cavs, that won't even really begin until All-Star guard Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) can both return from their respective surgeries, which could be weeks into the season. De'Andre Hunter is also questionable with a knee injury he sustained in the team's final preseason game .
"With us, it's going to be different with some guys out," Atkinson said.
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The health and timelines of Garland, Strus and possibly even Hunter are now the top storyline with the Cavs to begin the regular season. With only seeding in the playoffs at stake after a 64-win season, the Cavs won't push things. The No. 1 goal is simply to be healthy in April, not November.
"Let's make sure we're progressing because I want DG healthy long-term for the season, for the playoffs," Atkinson said, specifically answering a question about Garland. "Really kind of having conversations with him, making sure the build-up is right. We're erring on the side of long-term thinking."
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland cheers from the bench in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 14, 2025, in Cleveland.
How do Cavaliers adjust with Darius Garland, Max Strus out?
All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley will handle even greater shares of the offensive game plan until those sidelined can return. It'll also lead to some trial periods with larger roles for several players, a list that potentially includes Sam Merrill , Jaylon Tyson , Tyrese Proctor , Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade .
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At times, extended run for a few players off the bench can act as a silver lining down the road for playoff-caliber teams that don't need to fight for a spot in the postseason over the course of 82 games.
The Cavs don't feel they're in a position, or a need, to rush anyone back. Atkinson's focus isn't on returning to game action, but "returning to performance."
"I don't want like, 'Hey, guys, oh yeah, he's back, and he's shooting 10% from 3 over his first eight games," Atkinson said. "So we got to make sure they return to play, but they're ready to perform at a high level."
The Cavs continue to utilize Garland as a voice in the locker room and in the film room even while he's unavailable on the court. Atkinson has been outspoken about wanting Mobley and Jarrett Allen to be more vocal as leaders. Garland is also in that category, and Atkinson said last postseason they needed to see a more mature version of their All-Star point guard.
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"I would put him in that very high basketball IQ category right off the bat," Atkinson said of Garland. "He watches a lot of video, a lot of video of himself. He'll send me stuff from other teams. He sent me something from Brooklyn , something we ran like four years ago — 'Man, we could run this more.'
"Sometimes he'll tell the guy next to him [something] in the film room. It's like, we all want to know. So you got to pull some things from him sometimes. Him and Evan are both getting better at using their voice more. We need that, because their voice carries a lot — carries more than mine, quite honestly. … I love when that happens."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavs begin 2025-26 season vs Knicks without Darius Garland
