It appears things are right on schedule. 

Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman spoke to local reporters on Monday and provided an injury update on point guard Darius Garland.

Garland had surgery in the offseason to repair the left big toe injury that troubled him during the 2025 playoffs.

The Cavaliers acquired Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls this offseason. Ball will start at point guard while Garland recovers from his injury. 

A two-time All-Star, Garland appeared in 75 games for Cleveland last season. He averaged 20.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.1 blocks while shooting 47.2% from the field, 40.1% from beyond the arc and 87.8% from the free-throw line. 

The Cavaliers were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season. They swept the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round in five games. 

Garland played in five games in the 2025 playoffs. He averaged 18.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 0.4 steals while shooting 42.0% from the floor, 28.6% from 3 and 91.7% from the foul line. 

The Cavaliers drafted Garland with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The 25-year-old has career averages of 18.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.1 blocks in the NBA. 

Cleveland will start Ball, Donovan Mitchell, De'Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in 2025-26. As mentioned above, Garland will replace Ball in the starting lineup once he's cleared to play. 

The Cavaliers' core of Garland, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen hasn't advanced past the second round of the playoffs yet. Since Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has already been ruled out for the 2025-26 season and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum may not play either, Cleveland is the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference.