Report: Cavaliers expect Irving to return to action before January

The end goal for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015-16 is to win the first NBA championship in franchise history. If that means sacrificing some regular-season games to rest key players, then so be it.

That may be the logic the team takes with 23-year-old point guard Kyrie Irving, who fractured his left kneecap during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. He went under the knife shortly thereafter, with a recovery timeline of approximately three-to-four months.

The Cavaliers expect Irving to be ready to compete well before the new year, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto, which was previously noted as a potential timeframe for his return. While he may miss opening night, chances are he won't miss months on end.

When he's deemed healthy enough to play, the coaching staff plans on keeping a close eye on his minutes, cutting them down from the 36.4 (third in league) he averaged last season.

There's enough roster depth to compensate for his absence, with Mo Williams - who has 511 career starts under his belt - joining the team on a two-year contract this offseason. LeBron James could also field some minutes at the one spot, while Aussie guard Matthew Dellavedova can shoulder some of the load as well.

In 75 regular-season outings, Irving averaged 21.5 points and 5.1 assists on 46.8 percent shooting, including a PER of 21.5. Cleveland won 20 more games than they did the year before with James and Kevin Love aligning with Irving, advancing to the NBA Finals before falling in six games to Stephen Curry and company.

The finals landscape changed drastically following Irving's injury, and with Love already out with a separated shoulder, James was tasked with doing even more for the team without the two superstars by his side.