Khalifa Diop is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue and will not play in Cleveland's preseason game against Boston on Thursday. The Cavaliers will lean on Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley at center in his absence as the team continues preseason play ahead of the 2026-27 season opener.
What happened
Diop is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed issue, his first appearance on the Cavaliers' injury report with no previous status attached. The move came Thursday at 7:12 p.m. ET, hours before Cleveland's preseason game against Boston, and the official designation reads 'Undisclosed · Other.' Serena Winters of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio reports that Diop will not play in Thursday's game against the Celtics. The Cavaliers have not disclosed what body part is affected. His expected return is listed as Oct. 11.
What it means for the Cavaliers
Cleveland hosts Boston Thursday at 7 p.m. ET in a preseason game, with the 2026-27 regular season not yet underway and the Cavaliers sitting at 0-0. Diop has no established season line yet, so there is no scoring or rebounding total to replace. At center, the minutes fall to Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, who have logged 27.1 and 31.9 minutes per game with 15.4 and 18.2 points, respectively, in Cleveland's recent box scores. With no regular-season games played in 2026-27, there is no record to cite with or without Diop on the floor.
What to watch
The Cavaliers' next injury report will show whether Diop's day-to-day tag changes before Cleveland's following preseason game. His expected return is listed as Oct. 11, though the team has not confirmed that date as official. No timetable beyond that has been announced, and the undisclosed nature of the issue leaves his status for the rest of the preseason unclear. Cleveland continues its preseason slate before the 2026-27 regular season opens.
Is Khalifa Diop playing vs Celtics tonight?
No. Diop is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue and will not play in Thursday's preseason game against Boston, per Serena Winters of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio.
When will Khalifa Diop be back?
His expected return is listed as Oct. 11, though the Cavaliers have not confirmed that date and no further timetable has been announced.