Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dylan Windler will remain out for 4-6 weeks after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection to aid in his recovery from an early-season ankle injury, according to a Wednesday report from the Cavs.
“Windler’s ankle will be stabilized in a walking cast, after which a new therapy plan will be established to determine the next steps in his return to basketball activities,” the Cavs said in a release. “His status will be updated as appropriate.”
Dylan Windler’s injury has sidelined him for 12 of the Cavs’ 13 total games after injuring his ankle during an early-October practice, including the preseason. The injury was initially considered to be “minor,” according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, using the Cavs offseason to improve his game instead of rehabbing an injury.
“I feel back to my normal self I would say,” Windler told Cleveland.com in early October. “It’s been a long battle.
“Just being here, overcoming that and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now, my mind is clear. I can just play my game. The confidence is starting to shine through for sure.”
The third-year forward played his last regular season game against the Milwaukee Bucks in late April, where he scored two points on a 33% field goal percentage in 18 minutes on the floor. Dylan Windler dealt with a multitude of injuries since being selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, allowing him to play a total of 81 games in two full seasons for the Cavaliers.
The news broke just hours after the Cavaliers announced center Jarrett Allen would miss Wednesday’s game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks in Fiserv Forum. Guard Donovan Mitchell was listed as a “game time decision” after participating in the team’s Wednesday shootaround, while forward Dean Wade was listed as doubtful.
The Cavs went on to lose their fifth-straight game, losing to the Bucks by a final score of 113-98.
