Getty
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 4: Darius Garland of the Los Angeles Clippers greets former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates after a game at Intuit Dome on February 4, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images)
With James Harden out of the picture, Los Angeles Clippers fans are patiently waiting for the debut of the star guard, Darius Garland.
Since his final days with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Garland has been dealing with a toe injury. After the shocking blockbuster trade between the Clippers and the Cavaliers went down ahead of the 2026 deadline, Garland knew he would have to wait some time before getting the nod to play again.
The Clippers haven’t cleared Garland to make his return to the game court just yet, but the veteran guard was spotted in some practice action on Saturday, February 28.
Darius Garland Is Putting In Work At Clippers Practice
Joey Linn
Darius Garland looks to be moving well at Clippers practice
That’s a step in the right direction for the star trade acquisition.
As expected, Clippers fans are understandably excited to see Garland taking the next step in his recovery.
“Rooting hard for the kid. Also keeping it realistic as I know first hand about what kind of injury he’s had,” Bitter_Plastic2362 wrote on Reddit.
“Love his shiftiness,” samerm wrote.
“Scary hours loading,” said FeelLikeOKB on X.
Garland hasn’t played in a game since January 14. At the time, he started his 26th game of the year for the Cavs against the Philadelphia 76ers.
During the January 14 win, Garland checked in for 23 minutes. He shot 8-13 from the field, scoring 20 points. He produced seven assists, one steal, and three rebounds.
Garland missed nine games in a row after suffering his mid-January setback. Although he wasn’t a rumored trade candidate at the peak of trade season, the Clippers and the Cavs quietly worked out the details of a Harden-Garland swap.
By February 4, Garland was officially a member of the Clippers.
“The first shot in this… If we can get DG to like, 8 to 10 3PA per,” LAClippersFilm said.
“DEMON GARLAND LOADING…” ShowTymeMedia said.
“So excited for Darius Garland’s first game as a Clipper,” Celineft added.
GettyDarius Garland during his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Garland, a two-time All-Star, made the game for the first time during the 2021-2022 NBA season. His second appearance came during the 2024-2025 season.
Garland has seven seasons of experience under his belt. Throughout his career, he has averaged 18.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. He is a 38% shooter from deep, taking 6.1 attempts per game.
Before getting dealt to the Clippers, Garland produced 18.0 points per game while shooting 45% from the field and 36% from three. He also dished out 6.9 assists per game.
At this stage of the year, the Clippers are working on cracking a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Heading into the action against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Clippers are 27-31 on the year. They have lost three games in a row.
Garland isn’t expected to return this week, but next week has been left open as a possibility. The star guard’s return will likely depend on how his body responds to returning to practice.