Darius Garland is the most decorated player we’ve covered so far, but he looked nothing like his former All-Star self in 2023-24.

A series of injuries knocked Garland’s season off track right away, with the most significant being the broken jaw he suffered in mid-December. That one cost Garland nearly six weeks and several pounds, as part of the recovery process involved having his jaw wired shut. Upon returning, the point guard was never quite the same.

Garland’s individual production was down across the board—points, assists, three-point shooting, even free-throw attempt rate. That contributed to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offense slipping from seventh in 2022-23 to 18th last season, and it limited the team’s top four players—Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen—to just 819 total possessions together, about half as many as the year before.

Garland isn’t Cleveland’s best player, but his absence and diminished status upon returning last year was a clear issue. Bright side: He should be healthier and ready to get Cleveland back into the top 10 on offense this coming season.