James Harden
February 2026
James Harden missed Cleveland’s game against Milwaukee due to a right thumb fracture, with the Cavaliers also short-handed without Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. X-rays confirmed a non-displaced fracture after the Knicks game; Cleveland listed Harden for treatment and evaluation while managing additional starter absences through injury.
Evan Mobley
January 2026
Mobley will miss time again with a left calf strain, his second calf issue this season. Tightness after the Magic win led to MRI confirmation; he previously missed five games with a Grade 1 calf strain and remains among league leaders in blocks.
LeBron James
January 2026
Cleveland are navigating an uneven season shaped by injuries and availability issues, with Mitchell carrying scoring load while the team sits mid-pack in the East. Garland’s toe injury has limited games, Strus remains out after foot surgery, Mobley’s offense has plateaued despite elite defense, and rotation pieces like Jaylon Tyson have stepped up; outlook hinges on health and playoff matchups.
Evan Mobley
January 2026
Mobley has a calf strain and is expected to miss one to three weeks, with Cleveland preparing for a road trip after hosting the Lakers. Tightness after the Magic game led to imaging confirmation; Mobley previously missed time with a Grade 1 calf strain and recently became the youngest Cavs player to reach 500 career blocks.
Evan Mobley
December 2025
Evan Mobley made a rapid return from a Grade 1 left calf strain to log 14 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes during the Cavaliers’ narrow 126-124 loss to the Knicks, beating the original two-to-four-week recovery estimate. After progressing quickly through 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 in practice, the 23-year-old Defensive Player of the Year came off the bench, joining other recent returnees like Wembanyama and Williamson in easing back from injury as Cleveland tries to build momentum despite multiple starters sidelined.
Evan Mobley
December 2025
Cleveland center Evan Mobley has been ruled out for between two and four weeks after scans revealed a Grade 1 strain in his left calf, sidelining the All Star big man at a time when he is averaging 19.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Mobley suffered the issue in a 130-126 win over Washington and will enter rest and rehab while the Cavaliers lean more heavily on Jarrett Allen and their backup bigs, needing to shore up interior defense and rebounding to stay competitive in the Eastern race.
Cleveland Cavaliers
November 2025
Cleveland’s 10-6 start, compared with last season’s 15-1 surge toward a 64-win campaign, has exposed clear slippage as injuries to Darius Garland and Max Strus, weaker rebounding and a dip in free-throw efficiency drag the Cavaliers away from the dominant identity they built in 2024-25. Coach Kenny Atkinson has already used nine different starting lineups while Donovan Mitchell urges teammates to stop leaning on last year’s success, with Evan Mobley yet to show a new offensive gear and Friday’s home game against the 2-13 Pacers treated as an urgency test.
