What to Expect from Darius Garland Upon His Return to Action

Few things are more exciting for NBA fans than watching their team's freshly-acquired star make his debut.

Los Angeles Clippers fans were met with a shock when learning that 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden was ready to move on from the team. But the bigger shock perhaps came just a couple of days later when the Clippers swapped the future Hall of Famer for 26-year-old burgeoning star Darius Garland. Now, fans are left waiting for the news revealing when Garland, a two-time All-Star, will make his much-awaited debut.

It hasn't been all flowers and rose petals for Garland ever since his second All-Star appearance in the 2024-25 season. After last season's midseason showcase, the Vanderbilt University product began nursing a painful turf toe injury that hampered his ability to perform down the stretch of the regular season and into the postseason. The injury was a major blow to a 64-win Cleveland team that depended heavily on Garland's table-setting and playmaking acumen. Earlier this season, Garland was again bothered by his toe and went down in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Although Garland has dealt with this injury trauma for close to a year, it hasn't entirely hindered him from producing when available. In 26 appearances this season, the former All-Star is registering 18 points and 6.9 assists per game on 45.1% shooting from the field. In the mid-January game against the Sixers in which he went down and out, it is easy to forget that he had already tallied 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting overall and 3-for-7 from the 3-point line in just over 23 minutes.

The Outlook for Garland and the Clippers

For a Clippers team desperately seeking elite shot-creating and playmaking on and off the ball -- as evidenced by the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Orlando Magic -- Garland certainly appears to fit the bill.

The heroics of Kawhi Leonard over the last two months have been admirable, but it's important to note that his stellar production was assisted by Harden helping shoulder the role as the floor general. With no traditional point guard in LA's lineup right now, Leonard is having to maintain his aggressive scoring while generating opportunities for his teammates. With Garland eyeing his Clippers debut in March, the good news is that Leonard won't be asked to fulfill such a tall order much longer.

That noted, don't expect LA to put Garland through the full swing of things as soon as he returns to the hardwood. Considering the depth of his injury and its timeline over the last year, the Clippers will likely maintain a cautious approach for Garland in the minutes department. He may even be relegated to coming off the bench in his first few tilts.

Owning a 25.7% usage rate over his seven-year career, expect Garland to steadily gather momentum and eventually install himself as the primary decision-maker on offense. Having played alongside perennial All-Star Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland, Garland is already well-versed in sharing minutes with an explosive scorer on the perimeter. The Clippers are hoping their new future franchise cornerstone can manufacture that same magic with Leonard by his side.

As the NBA season approaches its second-to-last month of the 82-game sprint, LA could use a powerful boost and some fresh spirit. Garland returning to action and owning the stage may be exactly what the team needs to launch itself into the playoffs with some velocity.