4 Potential Darius Garland Landing Spots if Clippers Decide to Pivot

When the Los Angeles Clippers' season came to an end at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in the Play-In Tournament, all signs were pointing to Darius Garland returning for another season. The Clippers had just traded for him as part of their efforts to get younger, and he looked like he was going to be a part of this team for a long time.

Then, the lottery luck hit. The Clippers landed the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which changed their entire offseason calculation.

All the top prospects projected to go around the fifth-overall pick are lead guards. If the Clippers end up drafting one of these primary offensive engines, parting ways with Garland would become significantly more palatable. Add in the uncertainty surrounding the Kawhi Leonard saga and where the Clippers go from here, and Garland may be more available in a trade than many think.

If the Clippers pivot and move on from Garland, which teams could be potential landing spots?

Atlanta Hawks

Coming off a solid season, the Hawks are hoping to take another step forward next season. They just have to find a lead creator to take their offense to the next level. CJ McCollum played that role for the team last season, but he turns 35 before next season and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Hawks have the resources, including two first-round picks in this year's draft, and the cap flexibility to trade for Garland. Atlanta may choose to use their cap space on bringing back McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga, but it would still have the ability to trade for Garland.

Atlanta has a ton of mid-sized contracts to send to LA to make the deal work. A two-man combination of Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Corey Kispert, as well as multiple first-round picks, could get the trade done.

Onyeka Okongwu would be the main player the Clippers would want back in this deal, but considering Atlanta's lack of replacements on the roster may make that a tough sell.

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets have a ton of cap space for the second straight summer and are interested in getting better next season. Since they don't control their own first-round pick in next year's draft, they have no incentive to be bad. Trading for Garland would ensure they win more games while helping their young players develop.

Garland is young enough to be a key member of Brooklyn's core for a long time. He is a very good fit on a young team thanks to his ability to put his teammates in good positions offensively.

Brooklyn has enough cap space to just bring Garland in without worrying too much about matching salary. But the Clippers could have some interest in some of the Nets' young players whom they drafted over the last few years.

Houston Rockets

In terms of fit, it's hard to find a better Garland team than the Houston Rockets. After a disappointing first-round loss in the playoffs, the Rockets are feeling the pressure to improve next season. The only way to do that is by adding more offensive firepower.

If any team can compensate for Garland's defensive deficiencies, it's the Rockets and their elite defensive unit. On the offensive end, Garland can help Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant with his passing and shooting.

There are different ways to get a Garland-to-Houston trade done. It would require draft capital to be sure, but Fred VanVleet may be included in the package for salary-matching purposes. The Clippers could also have some interest in Reed Sheppard and Steven Adams.

Orlando Magic

Another team that is an excellent on-court fit is the Orlando Magic. This would be a relatively straightforward trade built around a Jalen Suggs-for-Garland swap.

Orlando needs more shooting and scoring, and they can't get that out of Suggs. Garland can provide that, boosting the Magic's underwhelming offense.

The Clippers, on the other hand, would be adding a younger guard with upside who is one of the best defensive players in the league. Some draft compensation may be needed to make this worthwhile for the Clippers, but as a general framework, it's one worth considering.

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