Darius Garland
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been through a lot in the past seven seasons. The 2019 NBA Draft saw them take Darius Garland with the #5 pick. It didn’t take long for him to endear himself to the fans and become a regular fixture with the team.
From his All-Star berths to clutch plays, he helped bring the team back to life with his play during the 2021-22 season. He and a then-rookie Evan Mobley did enough to convince the team it was time to take a swing. They acquired Donovan Mitchell. In their third year together, they had the #1 record in the Eastern Conference.
Just five years prior, in DG’s rookie year, they won 19 games. And now, as of February 3, 2026, he is no longer a member of the team he had previously spent his entire career with.
James Harden is now the starting point guard in Cleveland, with Garland off to LA with a second-round pick.
Certainly an emotional day for fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Looking Back at Darius Garland’s Time In Cleveland
Darius Garland was beloved in Cleveland from his earliest days. The team grew as he did, and by the time his second year was up, they were already starting to bring in more talent to make things work.
It began with Jarrett Allen during the 2020-21 year, and Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley (via draft) the following offseason. Another year later, and Donovan Mitchell was joining the fun.
In year 3, Garland took a significant leap and made his first NBA All-Star berth, averaging 22 points and nearly nine assists per game. Season-ending injuries to both Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio made things a bit tough, but it didn’t stop #10 from playing some incredible basketball.
Not only that, but he was part of the trio of Allen and Mobley that won the Skills Challenge as Team Cavs.
His numbers dipped a little after Mitchell came in, but he found his way back to the All-Star Game in 2024-25. He appeared in a career-high 75 games and made it through the entire regular season nearly unharmed.
A serious toe injury suffered in the postseason against the Miami Heat was a big part of what derailed the team’s playoff hopes. And something that kept him off the floor for a significant amount of time this season.
Injuries likely played some part in his being dealt, but even still, it’s impossible to erase the impact he had on building the culture in Cleveland.
Darius Garland, Winner Through and Through
Through the ups and downs, Darius Garland will be remembered fondly in Cleveland. Over 400 regular season games and three years of playoff trips. Game-winners. Crowd pleasers. Uplifting moments here, there, and everywhere.
Drafted out of Vanderbilt and thrown right onto the floor with a young, rebuilding team, he helped the Cavs to the better days they had dreamed about. He made playing there fun. Since those very first days, he was always giving it his all.
The last game-winner he hit in The Land was a logo-three against the Pistons last season on the road. He was always up for the clutch moments when he was at full strength.
From SexLand to 3.5 years with Donovan Mitchell, he was a professional through and through. His time in Cleveland is up, as LA is calling.
Garland will look to shine as one of the faces of a Clippers team that has been on the rise for the past month, and will be trying to go younger.
Good luck to the Vanderbilt product in LA. The teams meet tomorrow in LA, so we’ll see if he’s on the Clippers bench.