Injury forces former Cavs fan favorite to sit out homecoming game in Cleveland

A former Cavaliers guard will miss his return to Cleveland next month because of an injury he sustained during the preseason.

Mar 25, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) and guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) in the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers will open their regular season on Oct. 22 by taking on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

A few familiar faces will be absent from the game, as point guard Darius Garland will miss the action after undergoing toe surgery in the offseason. Additionally, forward Max Strus, who also had foot surgery this summer, will not be in the lineup.

Typically, when Garland missed games, backup point guard Ty Jerome stepped in to fill the void. However, he's no longer with the team after signing a three-year, $28 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason.

Jerome is currently facing an injury challenge, as the Grizzlies announced on Monday that he has been diagnosed with a high-grade strain in his right calf. This injury occurred during the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ preseason game against the Miami Heat on Oct. 17. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks to assess his recovery progress.

Memphis only makes one trip to Cleveland on Nov. 15 and Jerome will not be able to play in front of his old fans.

Jerome played two seasons with the Cavaliers, playing in 72 games, with 70 of those appearances coming in the 2024-25 season. He had an outstanding year, averaging 12.5 points and 3.4 assists while coming off the bench, which earned him a solid third place in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting.

With Jerome's departure from Cleveland, the Cavaliers plan to give the backup guard position to their newly acquired point guard, Lonzo Ball. This summer, Cleveland traded wing Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls to bring Ball on board.

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson is feeling quite excited about having Ball on his team and praised the veteran guard following the team's final preseason game against the Detroit Pistons.

“He’s probably one of the few guys in the league who can make those passes that he made tonight, just an extra level of feel for the game” Atkinson said on Oct. 14. “And I love that he’s a risktaker. He’s not afraid. To be a great passer you kind of have to have that mentality.”

Ball will bring a more playmaking style to the Cavs than Jerome offered, which will significantly boost Cleveland's offense. Ball will have the ability to set up high-quality shooters like Donovan Mitchell, giving him some of the best scoring opportunities he’s seen throughout his entire career.