Kyrie Irving will suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season opener Oct. 27 in Chicago, but it might be in Armani instead of his typical Adidas.
The Cavs point guard, who suffered a fractured knee cap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 4, could miss significant time in the upcoming NBA season due to the injury.
In fact, it might be 2016 before Irving sees any game action, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Haynes reports that one league source indicated January could become the target date for the 23-year-old’s return.
“The Cavaliers plan to work Kyrie Irving back into playing condition carefully and methodically as he recovers from a left kneecap fracture suffered in Game 1 of the NBA Finals,” Haynes wrote. “Multiple league sources say his rehabilitation is going smoothly, but that the chances are slim of him being in the opening-night lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 27. One source said he could very well be unavailable up until January.”
The timetable for recovery from his June surgery was three to four months, so Haynes adds that any further time Irving misses is just Cleveland being “patient and cautious” with it’s young superstar.
Irving averaged 21.7 points, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Eastern Conference champions last season.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
