Clippers welcome Darius Garland, 36 years after his father's trade to LA

Darius Garland set to make Clippers debut, following in father Winston Garland's footsteps

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The LA Clippers are preparing for the debut of Darius Garland on Monday night, nearly a month after he was acquired by the franchise in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Garland's father, Winston Garland, played seven seasons in the NBA from 1987 to 1995, including two seasons with the Clippers after being traded from the Golden State Warriors in 1990 - 36 years before his son's trade to the same franchise.

Why it matters

The Garland family's connection to the Clippers franchise adds an interesting personal angle to Darius Garland's move to Los Angeles, as he looks to make an impact on a team in need of a talented point guard to complement their star players like Kawhi Leonard.

The details

Darius Garland, a two-time NBA All-Star, was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the LA Clippers in a blockbuster deal at the February trade deadline. His father, Winston Garland, played for the Clippers from 1990 to 1992 after being traded from the Golden State Warriors, making this an intriguing family connection 36 years in the making.

  • Darius Garland was traded to the LA Clippers in February 2026.
  • Winston Garland was traded to the LA Clippers from the Golden State Warriors in February 1990.

The players

Darius Garland

A two-time NBA All-Star who was recently traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the LA Clippers.

Winston Garland

The father of Darius Garland, who played seven seasons in the NBA from 1987 to 1995, including two seasons with the LA Clippers after being traded from the Golden State Warriors in 1990.

Tyronn Lue

The head coach of the LA Clippers, who plans to use Darius Garland in a similar way to how he utilized Kyrie Irving during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Kawhi Leonard

The two-time NBA Finals MVP who is one of the Clippers' star players that Darius Garland will be playing alongside.

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What they’re saying

“We're super excited for him, man. He's just starting another chapter in his career and yeah man. I can't wait to see what unfolds. He's excited, we're excited, so we're ready to get started.”

— Winston Garland, Darius Garland's father (ClutchPoints)

“That's what I told him. He went back and watched a whole bunch of film from those days. We're gonna put the ball in his hands, he's got to be able to make plays for himself and his teammates. He has the ability to do that.”

— Tyronn Lue, LA Clippers head coach (ClutchPoints)

“Oh man, the sky's the limit. Just hearing incredible things about Tyronn Lue, I just can't wait for him to get some tutelage under him. And then yeah, who wouldn't want to play with Kawhi, right? So yeah, those two guys and himself, it makes it worth it, so yeah.”

— Winston Garland, Darius Garland's father (ClutchPoints)

What’s next

Darius Garland will make his LA Clippers debut on Monday, March 4, 2026 against the Golden State Warriors.

The takeaway

The Garland family's connection to the Clippers franchise adds an intriguing personal element to Darius Garland's move to Los Angeles, as he looks to make an impact on a team in need of his playmaking abilities and leadership to complement their star players like Kawhi Leonard.