The Los Angeles Clippers are staring at a brutal reset after the NBA’s ruling in the cap-circumvention scandal, and that reality has opened the door to one uncomfortable possibility: Darius Garland could become part of the cleanup effort.
The punishment hit hard - five first-round picks and $30 million - and around the league, plenty of people are treating it like a hammer blow to the Clippers’ long-term plans. But if Los Angeles wants to soften the damage, the only real path is to work whatever leverage it still has and turn a roster piece into future draft capital.
That’s where Garland enters the conversation. Recent chatter out of Los Angeles suggests he could be available if the Clippers can get picks back in the deal, and Heavy’s Sean Deveney laid out the idea bluntly: “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?”
The Clippers have already started to claw back some value after sending Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, a move that netted them two first-round picks. And if they cooperate with the league office and see their penalties reduced, they could potentially recover even more.
Moving Garland would be a different kind of fix. It would sting to part with a starting point guard, but it would also refill a draft cupboard that’s suddenly been emptied out. Those picks could either be flipped elsewhere or used to strengthen the young core the Clippers are trying to build around.
Garland’s appeal is obvious. Last season he averaged 18.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, production that keeps him in the top-10 conversation at his position. He’s not a perfect player, but he offers versatility, leadership, and high-end playmaking - the kind of package that can fit almost anywhere.
For now, the market remains the big question. A talented, two-way guard in his prime is usually going to draw interest, and teams with extra draft capital could be especially aggressive. The Bulls, Nets, and Rockets are all mentioned as possible suitors, and the Memphis Grizzlies also make sense in the wake of Ja Morant’s departure.
Still, landing two picks for Garland may be a tough sell. He missed 37 games in the 2025-26 season, and his contract adds another layer to the calculation: two years and $86 million, with an extension looming soon. In a league where teams are far more careful with major money than they used to be, that kind of commitment changes the math quickly.
So the Clippers are left weighing a painful but practical choice. They need to respond to the NBA’s penalties somehow, and Garland is one of the few paths that could bring back meaningful value.
But they aren’t rushing into anything. If he goes, it will only be because the return includes those precious picks.
In Other News...
Chris Paul Reopens A Painful Clippers Debate Fans Wont Ignore
Chris Pauls latest public reflection on his Clippers exit brought an old wound back into view for a fan base that still remembers how abruptly that chapter ended. During an appearance on the Build or Break podcast, Paul revisited the difficult departure from Los Angeles and made clear that the breakup stuck with him long after he was gone, adding fresh weight to one of the franchises most uncomfortable what-ifs.
For Clippers followers, the timing only sharpens the memory of how that ending unfolded, with Paul traded to Toronto before ever taking the floor for the Raptors and later announcing his retirement without another game in that uniform. His comments have reopened questions about how the organization managed the breakup and why the final moments of a defining era still carry so much frustration. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Added Another Reason Veterans May Stay Away
The Clippers have already spent plenty of time trying to sell themselves as a destination, but that pitch gets a little harder when the organization is carrying long-term uncertainty and a growing list of veterans who may remember how things ended. Chris Paul began the season in Los Angeles before being moved at midseason, and the timing alone was enough to reopen an old conversation about how the franchise treats established players.
For a team that could be staring at a lottery future while owing its first-round pick for five straight years starting in 2029, reputation matters even more. Veteran free agents tend to look for stability, respect and a clear path to winning, and the Clippers now have to navigate both the basketball side of that equation and the lingering feeling that some players may not love the way business gets done there. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Face One Huge Question After Kawhi Leonards Departure
Kawhi Leonards departure leaves the Clippers facing a familiar kind of pivot, one that puts even more weight on the pieces already in place. Darius Garland is expected to run the offense for the full season, giving Los Angeles a different sort of engine than the one it had before and potentially opening things up for Max Strus and Gradey Dick as complementary scorers around him.
The bigger concern may be on the other end, where the Clippers anticipate a drop-off with Brandon Ingram stepping into Leonards old role. That defensive slide is part of the reason the front office has been linked to Rui Hachimura, a move that would make sense if Los Angeles decides it needs more balance than Ingram alone can provide. [Read more 🡒]