Darius Garland’s Return Has Been Anything But Smooth - And the Cavs Are Feeling It
When Darius Garland underwent toe surgery this past offseason, the immediate question was simple: When will he be back? But the more important - and trickier - question has always been: How long until he’s truly himself again?
We’ve seen this pattern before with Garland. He’s a dynamic, high-IQ floor general with elite offensive instincts, but when he comes back from injury, it usually takes time. He may be physically on the court, but the full version of DG - the one who slices through defenses, manipulates space, and controls pace like a maestro - doesn’t show up right away.
That’s exactly what we’re seeing in the early stages of the 2025-26 season. Garland returned, then had a setback, and now he’s back again - but not quite back back. The Cavaliers are getting a version of Garland that’s clearly still working through the gears.
On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, Brian Windhorst and company zeroed in on Garland’s struggles in a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Windhorst noted that Garland looked "significantly bothered" by Atlanta’s length - and that’s no small thing. The Hawks are long, athletic, and disruptive on the perimeter, and Garland, a player who thrives on quick-twitch movements and change-of-pace bursts, didn’t seem to have the same juice.
“He’s playing,” Windhorst said, “but I don’t think he’s right.”
To put it plainly: Garland looked like a player still trying to shake off rust, both physically and rhythmically. That’s not unexpected, but it’s also not easy to watch when you know what he’s capable of.
For context, Windhorst compared Garland’s performance to Tyrese Maxey - another undersized, explosive guard who also faced the Hawks. Maxey, stronger and currently healthier, had no such issues, slicing up the same defense en route to a 44-point night. No one’s asking Garland to drop 40, but the contrast in burst and confidence was stark.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. Even in limited action, Garland has shown flashes.
His offensive rating sits at 118.1 - a solid number in a vacuum. But when you compare it to last season, where he posted a team-best 123.2, it’s clear he’s not operating at full throttle.
The bigger concern, though, is what’s happening on the other end. In 2024-25, the Cavaliers were dominant with Garland on the floor, boasting a +9.9 net rating.
This season? That number has plummeted to -2.4, thanks in large part to a rough 120.6 defensive rating when he’s out there.
Yes, it’s a small sample size. Yes, it’s early. But the numbers back up what the eye test is already telling us: Garland isn’t himself yet, and his presence - while still valuable - hasn’t been the net positive Cleveland needs it to be.
Offensively, he’s averaging 14.7 points per game on just 37.5% shooting, with 6.9 assists. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they’re far from what we’ve come to expect from the All-Star point guard.
At his best, Garland is a tone-setter, a tempo controller, a guy who makes the Cavaliers’ offense hum. Right now, he’s more of a metronome than a conductor - steady, but not yet elevating.
The Cavaliers know what they have in Garland. He’s a difference-maker when healthy.
But for now, they’re stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for that version to re-emerge. And until he does, Cleveland will be navigating the early season with one of its engines running at less than full power.