Cleveland Cavaliers Rookie Tyler Zeller Out With Concussion, Broken Cheek Bone

With just eight days worth of NBA action the injuries seem to keep piling up across the entire Association with no age or team restriction being applied. The Cleveland Cavaliers will be with out their rookie center Tyler Zeller indefinitely due to a concussion and broken cheek bone which he suffered during the Cavs 108-101 victory on Monday night over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Cavs said that there is “no specific timeline” set for Zeller’s return after the seven-foot, first-year player was injured when he took an elbow to the face from Clippers big-man DeAndre Jordan during the fourth quarter. Zeller was actually in the midst of the best game of his young professional career when he was forced to leave the game scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 24 minutes of play.

Zeller was the 17th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to the Cavs along with veteran Kelenna Azubuike on draft day in-exchange for three picks during the same draft the 24th, 33rd and 34th overall selections.

Zeller is looked at as a big piece of the Cavaliers future which means that they will not rush him back before he is 100% ready to return. Zeller along with last season’ Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving, this season’s fourth overall selection in the draft Dion Waiters and Tristian Thompson are widely regarded as the future of this organization. With Zeller out of the lineup the 2-2 Cavs will mix and match a number of players at the back up center position since they truly don’t have another option.