The Cleveland Cavaliers will be opening the 2023-24 season against the Brooklyn Nets at least a bit shorthanded.
After missing the entire preseason with a bone bruise in his left ankle, Cleveland big man Jarrett Allen remains sidelined and will be unavailable for Wednesday's game. Allen was initially ruled out on October 7th after suffering the injury during practice and has been unable to participate in practice fully ever since. When asked if Allen had participated in practice before being ruled out, Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff motioned toward Allen working individually with Cleveland's assistant coaches and said that was all Allen could currently do.
While Allen was seen handling a more intense individual workout with assistant coaches before the team traveled to Brooklyn, it still wasn't enough to satisfy Bickerstaff's prerequisites to play. Bickerstaff stressed that what matters most is that Allen is available to play long-term for the Cavs when he returns to the court and faces no risk of re-aggravating the injury.
“We want to do the right thing by Jarrett,” Bickerstaff said. ‘Want to make sure that when he’s back he’s back for the long term and we’re not having to bring him back, take him out and bring him back again.”
Until Allen can practice in full, he won't play for Cleveland. It wouldn't be surprising if Allen isn't available for the Cavs' home-opening back-to-back when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers this weekend.
Jarrett Allen isn't only Cavs star who could miss season opener
Allen aside, the Cavs have another serious concern with a different franchise cornerstone. Darius Garland, who sat out Cleveland's preseason finale in Indianapolis, is considered a game-time decision due to a strained left hamstring.
Despite what others may say, a strained hamstring isn't a minor injury and could be a nagging issue all season long if the Cavs don't handle Garland's injury sensitively. Cleveland will likely monitor Garland's status through the night and during the team's shootaround Wednesday morning. If the injury isn't serious, he should be able to play. But, again, due to how tricky hamstrings can be, Garland could also be shut down to preserve his long-term health for the season.
Garland averaged 10.5 points in 16.7 minutes this preseason. If he can't go, it could be a huge blow to Cleveland's revamped offensive attack. The Cavs currently do not have a solid option at backup point guard other than two-way guard Craig Porter Jr. due to Ricky Rubio being away from the team. Over the summer, Rubio announced that he was stepping away from basketball to prioritize his mental well-being. Cleveland is respecting Rubio's decision and is excusing his absence. But with Rubio gone and Garland questionable, the Cavs will have to turn to Donovan Mitchel and role players like Ty Jerome and Caris LeVert to step up in their place.
Speaking of role players, Cleveland's bench unit also took a hit with sharpshooting forward Dean Wade considered doubtful against the Nets due to illness. While having Georges Niang as a bench option at the forward position does soften the blow, without Wade the Cavs' overall depth has taken a serious hit. Wade was considered a candidate to get serious minutes in Bickerstaff's rotation due to his ability to play multiple positions up front, defend in space, rebound, provide high-quality screens and, most importantly, give Cleveland extra spacing from the perimeter.
Considering how much depth they had during the preseason, this isn't how the Cavs wanted to kick off their 2023-24 campaign. Hopefully, Garland and Wade can give Cleveland some versatility to deal with Brooklyn's overwhelming size and length. If they cannot, expect Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus to step up and try to carry the Cavs to their first win.
Follow Us
Subscribe