Clippers Debut New Starting Lineup With Kawhi Leonard's Return

LA makes big changes to starting unit amid Kawhi Leonard's comeback and recent trades.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 1:12am

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The LA Clippers have rolled out a new-look starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, featuring the return of Kawhi Leonard and the addition of recent trade acquisition Darius Garland. The Clippers have been experimenting with different lineups since the NBA trade deadline, as they look to incorporate their newest players like Garland, Bennedict Mathurin, and Isaiah Jackson.

Why it matters

The Clippers have struggled with injuries and lineup changes all season, never having their full roster available. This new starting unit of Garland, Leonard, John Collins, Derrick Jones Jr., and Brook Lopez represents their best chance to find a winning formula heading into the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

The details

Kawhi Leonard was upgraded to available just before the game, while Garland was cleared to play after the team's morning shootaround. The new starting lineup features Garland, Leonard, Collins, Jones Jr., and Lopez - the first time those five have shared the floor together this season. Kris Dunn was moved to a bench role, with Collins replacing him in the starting five.

  • The Clippers acquired Garland, Mathurin, and Jackson at the NBA trade deadline in early February.
  • Garland missed the first month after the trade due to management of his recent toe injuries.
  • Collins has missed nine games this season due to two scary, neck-related injuries.

The players

Kawhi Leonard

A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, Leonard is the Clippers' superstar and one of the league's elite two-way players when healthy.

Darius Garland

A 24-year-old All-Star point guard who was acquired by the Clippers at the trade deadline to bolster their backcourt.

John Collins

A versatile big man who has dealt with injuries this season but provides frontcourt scoring and rebounding for the Clippers.

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What they’re saying

“We know we've got three hard games. We've just got to come out and take it one by one. I know it's a back-to-back, but they've been playing hard, competing, and we've got to come out and do the same. We understand who they are. They're playing to win, they're playing for something, and we've got to be locked in.”

— Tyronn Lue, Head Coach

What’s next

The Clippers will continue their three-game road trip, facing the Pelicans again on Friday and the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday before returning home for a two-game homestand against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.

The takeaway

The Clippers' new-look starting lineup featuring Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland represents their best chance to find a winning formula and build chemistry heading into the final stretch of the regular season and playoffs. However, the team will need to overcome recent injury issues and find consistency to make a deep postseason run.