When it rains, it pours for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If losing in the second round of the playoffs after winning 64 regular-season games wasn’t bad enough, they will now be without one of their best players during most of their offseason preparation.
Darius Garland had surgery to address his toe injury and could need five months to recover.
So, as much as Garland should be ready to go for the start of next season, the Cavs cannot afford to take any chances with their backcourt.
With that in mind, insider Ethan Sands said Cleveland needs to bring back Ty Jerome next season.
“The priority of Ty Jerome being added back to this roster, I feel like we’ve talked about it being one of the top priorities for this team already, but now it might be priority No. 1 for the Cavs to get Ty Jerome back,” Sands said on the “Wine and Gold Talk” podcast.
Jerome stepped up and filled in for Garland and Donovan Mitchell multiple times during the regular season, often putting the offense on his shoulders like those starters.
He had the best season of his career, becoming a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Though he didn’t play up to his usual level in the playoffs, he played his way into a substantial contract as a free agent this offseason.
The Cavs don’t have a lot of wiggle room to add talent, and re-signing their own players might be tricky.
But all things considered, even if Garland were fully healthy, Jerome has proven how crucial he is for this team.
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