Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) in the first half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) in the first half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Clippers are in a state of panic right now, following the NBA’s ruling in the cap-circumvention scandal. With the franchise forced to give up five first-round picks (along with $30 million), the Clippers have been set back by a decade, with many experts labeling the penalties as a “death sentence” for team-building.
Even so, there is a way to mitigate the damage of Los Angeles plays it smart and uses whatever leverage it has left to recoup some of their lost assets. One way this could be achieved is with a Darius Garland trade, and recent rumblings out of LA indicate it could be on the table if the Clippers can get back some picks in the process.
“The Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard punishment could set into motion a series of events that winds up with Garland being placed firmly on the market as the Clippers seek to recoup as many future draft picks from the roster,” wrote Heavy’s Sean Deveney. “Anyone want to give up two picks for him?”
Losing five first-round picks is a massive blow, but the Clippers don’t have to take the full brunt of the punishment. By trading Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, they have already secured two first-round picks. They could get even more if they comply with the league office and have their penalties reduced.
Trading Garland, however, would effectively set the Clippers back on even ground. While they might detest losing their starting point guard, they could restock their empty asset pool, which they could either trade or use to build up their growing stock of young talent. The biggest question is which teams would be in the running for Garland.
With averages of 18.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game last season, he continues to prove himself as a top-10 player at his position. While flawed in many ways, he brings versatility, leadership, and an elite playmaking skillset to the fold, attributes that could prove useful on virtually any roster.
As it stands, it’s still unclear what happens with Garland, but the market is always strong for a talented, two-way guard entering his prime. Teams with a lot of draft picks might be especially inclined to make an offer, including the Bulls, Nets, and Rockets. The Memphis Grizzlies also make a good fit in the wake of Ja Morant’s departure.
The challenge for the Clippers will be getting two picks back for Garland, who missed 37 games in the 2025-26 season. It doesn’t help that he’s got two years, $86 million on his deal, meaning he’ll be expecting an extension very soon. In today’s NBA economy, teams have to be more selective than ever with their large-scale contracts, and it remains to be seen how highly teams value what he brings to the floor.
In the end, it is up to the Clippers to decide what happens next. They must adjust to the NBA’s penalties somehow, and this is one way they can somewhat recover, even if it costs them their point guard of the future. Still, they are in no rush to part ways with Garland, and they will only consider a deal if it brings them some precious picks back in return.