Report: Garland likely to miss start of season after toe surgery

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland underwent surgery Monday to address the toe injury that bothered him during the postseason, the team announced.

Garland's rehabilitation period will last approximately four-to-five months. The Cavs said they expect him to be cleared by the start of training camp in October. However, the point guard will likely miss the start of next season, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

In Game 2 of Cleveland's first-round sweep of the Miami Heat, the two-time All-Star reportedly re-aggravated a pre-existing injury to his left great toe from late March. Garland's toe continued to bother him in their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers, forcing him to miss Games 1 and 2. He returned to help Kenny Atkinson's side win Game 3 - its only victory of the series - but admitted his movement was still severely limited.

Before sustaining the injury, Garland shot 10-of-17, including 5-of-9 from deep, as part of a 27-point, five-assist performance in Cleveland's Game 1 win over Miami.

Garland averaged 20.6 points as Cleveland's second-leading scorer across 75 games - the most he's played in a regular season throughout his six-year career. He led the Cavs with 6.7 assists and posted shooting splits of 47.2/40.1/87.8, playing a significant role in their 64-win season. His contract with Cleveland is fully guaranteed through 2027-28.