There was a moment when it seemed that Darius Garland would become a superstar. As part of an emerging Cleveland Cavaliers, his fast-paced basketball and undeniable talent made Ohioans dream of a bright future, and while that has come to pass, it has not been accompanied by the ascent and establishment of a player perhaps hindered by Donovan Mitchell’s arrival in 2022.
Now in the present, preparing for the 2026-27 season as a Los Angeles Clippers player, a few months after his trade arrival, the 26-year-old guard makes clear that the injury that limited him to just 45 games last season is completely behind him.
“It started as a bone contusion, as if the tip of my toe had been struck by the shoe. I thought it was just a toe and that I could keep playing. But it worsened; I tore ligaments and other things. I had to undergo reconstruction, but I’m fine now. It was very frustrating, because I think we could have had a good opportunity if I hadn’t gotten hurt,” he said in an interview with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype.
The Trade of Darius Garland to the Clippers
Darius Garland had spent seven years in Cleveland, and obviously he has noticed the change, but likewise he says he does not feel troubled by being traded to the Clippers; on the contrary, he describes the move as great.
“The trade was pretty easy for me, to be honest. It was wild. Mentally, it wasn’t a shock, but you could still say that it was. I had been here seven years, seven and a half, and now, all of a sudden, packing my bags like this, it was just wow. But it’s part of the business. I understand the business side. It was about a new city. It’s been great. The transition was smooth. I was very excited to be there. I was very happy. I came for a new opportunity to take on a new challenge. So I was excited,” he says.
