One of the most consequential trades of this year’s deadline saw Darius Garland move to Los Angeles in a deal for James Harden. It changed the trajectory for both teams involved and put Harden in his ideal situation. Garland, meanwhile, has embraced his new surroundings and believes it’s an opportunity to enhance his legacy.
“I’m super excited about L.A. life,” Garland told Andscape. “The first day, I literally called my mom and said, ‘This is the first time I’ve seen sun in February.’ Waking up to the sun instantly changed my whole mood. I woke up earlier, getting a little bit of sunlight before I headed out to practice, just enjoying the scenery, riding around a little bit. I already know the layout of the land. I’ve been here for a couple of years in the summertime. So, I’m pretty used to seeing a lot of faces, and I’ve connected with a couple of people. I’m excited to be in a big market. And just being in L.A. playing for the Clippers is one thing. So, I’m super excited for it.”
Garland, 26, was drafted fifth overall in 2019. Over his first seven seasons in Cleveland, he ascended into a star-level guard with averages of 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game on 45.3% shooting from the field and 36.0% shooting from three. Now that he’s a veteran player, he’ll be acting as a mentor in Los Angeles as part of a bigger role overall. While he was skeptical at first, Garland has come to embrace the change.
“I’m good with the change,” Garland said. “When it first happened, I was kind of skeptical. But I couldn’t turn down this opportunity to play with another Hall of Famer [Leonard] and having a ball in my hands damn near 99 percent of the time.”
Garland isn’t the best player on a championship team, but he can be a viable sidekick to someone like Kawhi Leonard. At 6’1″ and 192 pounds, Garland makes a worthy replacement for Harden, and he’s someone who canstick around for the long-term. While questions remain about the future of the team, Garland’s presence gives the fans another reason to feel optimistic about their success.
The most important thing with Garland will be availability. His Clippers debut has already been pushed back to March as he manages a toe injury, meaning it won’t be until another few weeks before we see him on the court again. In the meantime, the Clippers are going to be fighting to stay afloat in the West and keep their season alive. Garland or no Garland, they still have the pieces to be a formidable team if they can just stay healthy when it matters the most.
