CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Darius Garland steps onto the court wearing a splint in his shoe, he’s fighting more than just opposing defenses. The Cavs’ star point guard is locked in a season-long battle with turf toe, an injury that requires constant management and has significantly impacted his effectiveness during Cleveland’s disappointing 14-11 start.
“There is a difference between being healthy enough to play and suit up and being effective playing through injury. And this is a very difficult injury,” Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor explained on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. “I think the conclusion that they came to is that it was going to be an injury that was going to require constant management.”
The team didn’t enter this situation unprepared.
As Fedor revealed, “Over the summer, the Cavs did a lot of research. They talked to a lot of different people. They studied turf toe. They read about Joe Burrow, and they talked to people surrounding Joe Burrow, and they looked at the history of NFL players with turf toe and NBA players with turf toe.”
What makes this injury particularly challenging for Garland is how it directly impacts the skills that make him special.
“His game is so much about stop and start. It’s about quickness, it’s about shiftiness, it’s about change of direction. And there are certain movements that are probably going to be painful,” Fedor noted.
Beyond the physical limitations, there’s a significant mental hurdle Garland must clear. “I think part of this also is Darius clearing a mental hurdle of, okay, I feel pain, but that doesn’t mean I need surgery. Okay, I feel pain, but that doesn’t mean that I need to shut it down for a week or two weeks,” Fedor explained.
This management approach includes skipping back-to-backs—a plan established in the summer that caused some messaging confusion when coach Kenny Atkinson initially suggested back-to-backs weren’t off the table. Garland himself clarified the situation after a recent practice, explaining it was a “doctor decision” despite his desire to play every game.
During the team’s five-day break, while others rested, Garland was in the gym working on his shot — a reflection of his dissatisfaction with his performance through his first nine games.
As Ethan Sands noted, “He hasn’t been satisfied with how his shot profile, shot quality, shot production and efficiency has been to start the season.”
For Cleveland to reach its potential, Garland’s effectiveness is non-negotiable.
“The Cavs need a different version of Darius than what they’ve gotten here at the beginning of the season,” Fedor insisted. “If they’re going to be the team that they want to be, if they’re going to be the offense that they want to be ... a different level of consistency from Darius is going to be required.”
With six consecutive games against below-.500 teams, the Cavaliers have an opportunity to build momentum. But the Garland equation—balancing availability with effectiveness—will remain the season’s most delicate challenge. How well they navigate it may ultimately determine whether Cleveland can transform from one of the league’s most disappointing teams into the championship contender they believe they can be.
Here’s the podcast for this week: