Kyrie Irving (knee) will be brought back slowly from a fractured kneecap suffered during the Eastern Conference Finals, and he could remain out until January, Cleveland.com reports.

Irving (knee) will be brought back slowly from a fractured kneecap suffered during the Eastern Conference Finals, and he could remain out until January, Cleveland.com reports.

Analysis:

While team sources have confirmed Irving's recovery is right on schedule, the general belief is that the point guard will not be ready when the Cavs open up against the Bulls on October 27. Per the Cleveland.com report, one source believes the team may hold Irving out until after Christmas, given how much of an injury liability he's proven to be. Irving, himself, has refused to set a target return date, but he said he anticipates a full recovery with no lasting effects. Assuming Irving misses a significant chunk of time, veteran addition Mo Williams figures to step in as the starter and see consistent minutes with Matthew Dellavedova serving as the backup. Of course, LeBron James figures to handle much of the playmaking duties, so the Cavs should theoretically be able to weather Irving's absence quite well in the Eastern Conference.