Clippers Delay Darius Garland's Debut to Prioritize Toe Recovery

Newly acquired point guard's debut pushed to March as team manages soreness in surgically repaired left great toe.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 7:31am

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The Los Angeles Clippers have delayed the debut of newly acquired point guard Darius Garland until March as the team manages soreness in his surgically repaired left great toe. Garland, who was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers in early February, has been limited in practice and will miss the Clippers' upcoming back-to-back games against the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Why it matters

Garland's extended absence magnifies the importance of Kawhi Leonard's play, as the Clippers look to climb the Western Conference standings with 28 games remaining in the regular season. The team is being cautious with Garland's recovery to ensure he can contribute at a high level for the long term.

The details

Garland, 26, originally sprained his left great toe in the playoffs last season with the Cavaliers. He underwent surgery in June and was expected to miss 4-5 months, but has continued to experience soreness in the toe since returning to play in November. The Clippers are prioritizing getting Garland fully healthy, even if it means delaying his debut with the team until March.

  • Garland sprained his left great toe in the playoffs last season.
  • Garland underwent surgery on the toe in June 2025 and was given a 4-5 month timetable to return.
  • Garland missed the first 7 games of the 2025-26 season before debuting on November 5.
  • Garland reaggravated the same toe 5 days later and missed another 5 games.
  • Garland then played in 18 consecutive games before suffering a right toe injury on January 14, and hasn't played since.

The players

Darius Garland

A 26-year-old point guard who was recently traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard

An All-Star small forward for the Los Angeles Clippers who has been leading the team during Garland's absence, averaging 30 points per game since December 20.

Lawrence Frank

The president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Clippers, who has stated the team will take as much time as needed to get Garland fully healthy.

Tyronn Lue

The head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, who has been using a starting lineup of Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Leonard, John Collins and Brook Lopez since the trade deadline.

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What they’re saying

“Recovery is going good. I'm back on the court, working out, doing all the things I love to do. Just waiting on the green light. I'm ready to hoop. So whenever I get the green light, we can go forward.”

— Darius Garland

“We are not gonna skip any steps. We think the short-term investment will lead to long-term rewards. So the time frame, you'll see on the injury report, we will switch it from right toe to left toe. And we're gonna get it right and take as long as it takes. But we're confident that by taking the time now, it's gonna give him a long runway. He's only 26, and we want to see him playing at a high level for a long time.”

— Lawrence Frank, President of Basketball Operations, Los Angeles Clippers

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.