Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (jaw), who has been out since Dec. 15 due to a fractured jaw, has received clearance to resume basketball activities. It's great news for patient fantasy managers and Garland, who was also a limited participant in pregame warmups before Monday's 109-91 win over the Chicago Bulls. Garland is expected to incrementally ramp up his activity over time, so he is likely to need about one week for a return to game action. The Cavaliers begin a four-game road trip on Saturday that ends on Jan. 26, and while it remains to be seen if the 23-year-old star playmaker will travel with them during that stretch, Garland should be able to rejoin the lineup by January's close. Caris LeVert should be held onto until then, averaging 18.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.5 treys, and 1.0 steals in 27.4 minutes in 12 appearances off Cleveland's bench since Dec. 16.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (knee) has been upgraded and will play on Monday night against the Chicago Bulls. The 27-year-old was only able to play around seven minutes in their last game against the Brooklyn Nets. This comes as great news since Darius Garland (jaw) remains sidelined. Strus will also remain in the starting five along with Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Jarrett Allen. He hasn't been delivering the same fantasy output that he was giving through the beginning of the season, but he should see a little boost against a weaker opponent and added minutes. Strus can still be started in 12-team leagues right now.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Max Strus (knee) was seen at the morning shootaround ahead of Monday's tilt versus the Chicago Bulls. Strus was held to just seven minutes of action in last Thursday's Paris win over the Brooklyn Nets due to soreness in his right knee, but the extra time off and his status at shootaround bode well for his chances of being available on Monday. The 27-year-old three-and-D wing is offering top-100 fantasy numbers in his first season with the Cavs as a full-time starter, playing in all 37 of their games while averaging 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 threes in 33.8 minutes. Sixth man Caris LeVert, who is already playing an augmented role with Darius Garland (jaw) on the shelf, would be in line for even more run potentially with the first unit if Strus is ultimately out on Monday, leaving behind additional minutes for the sharpshooting Sam Merrill with the reserves.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell put on a show for the fans in Paris as he put up a season-high in the 111-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in the Thursday afternoon matinee. He was able to score 45 points on 15-for-30 shooting and 11-for-13 from the charity stripe. He even added 12 rebounds, six assists, and four steals despite the seven turnovers. For an undersized guard who averages 4.3 rebounds per game for his career, a 12-rebound game was a pleasant surprise for anyone who had him in their fantasy lineup. Mitchell's value is at its peak right now as he operates the offense without Darius Garland (jaw) and Evan Mobley (knee).

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says guard Darius Garland (jaw) will not be available for Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day game against the Chicago Bulls and that he will be out for a few more contests. The Cavaliers will get two more home games before beginning a four-game road trip on Jan. 20, so it remains to be seen if Garland will have a chance to return at some point during that stretch. The 23-year-old All-Star is averaging 20.7 points, 5.9 assists, 1.8 threes on a career-low 34.6% success rate from long range, and 1.6 steals but sits among the NBA's worst with 3.8 turnovers per game through 20 showings. Donovan Mitchell will remain Cleveland's focal point offensively for however long Garland is out, while Caris LeVert continues playing a prominent role with the reserves as the sixth man.