Matthew Dellavedova has been sidelined all season since he went down with a head injury on Dec. 12. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Despite concussion setbacks, Cavs' Matthew Dellavedova not considering retirement

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Feb 5, 2021 6:23 PM ET

Joe Vardon and Kelsey Russo reported in a piece published by The Athletic on Thursday that Cleveland Cavaliers guard and fan-favorite Matthew Dellavedova could be forced into early retirement due to ongoing setbacks linked with a concussion he suffered in December.

The 30-year-old took to Twitter on Friday to address that story:

1/ Retirement is not on my mind at all right now. Only focus is getting healthy and back with the boys to help make a playoff push. Cavs are playing good basketball and I’m definitely looking forward to being a part of what is getting built here...
— Matthew Dellavedova (@matthewdelly) February 5, 2021

2/ Injuries are frustrating but it’s a temporary setback and I’m looking forward to coming back from this better than before. Thank you and appreciate the well wishes
❤️
— Matthew Dellavedova (@matthewdelly) February 5, 2021

Dellavedova has been sidelined all season since he went down with a head injury on Dec. 12 and, according to The Athletic, is dealing with "symptoms that are preventing him from ramping up workouts in any real capacity" as of the first Friday of February. What's particularly worrisome in this instance is that Dellavedova had already experienced multiple concussions before this past preseason.

Dellavedova and five-time All-Star Kevin Love are the only players on the Cavs from the 2016 Cleveland roster that completed a historic comeback to defeat the Golden State Warriors and win the NBA Finals. If Dellavedova can play at some point this season, he'll serve as a locker-room leader and as extra depth behind Darius Garland and Collin Sexton.

Love, meanwhile, is working to return from a right calf strain that has kept him out of action since Dec. 27.

The Cavs (10-12) sit seventh in the East ahead of Friday's home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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