Darius Garland Opens Up on Trade to Clippers After Cavs Tenure, 'I Got My Joy Back'

Darius Garland enjoyed the start of his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers after the point guard was traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the middle of the 2025-26 season.

"It's been great, bro," Garland said during a Tuesday appearance on the Ball in the Family podcast. "Coming to a system where I can actually be me. Have the ball in my hand for the majority of the game and actually have control of the pace of the game. Just being like a second coach out there, literally. It was fun when I was out there playing, for sure. I got my joy back."

Garland was in the midst of his seventh season with Cleveland when he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for James Harden on Feb. 3. The Cavaliers also sent out a second-round pick in the swap.

While Garland earned two All-Star nods and made three playoff appearances in Cleveland, he missed time to begin his 2025-26 campaign due to multiple toe injuries.

Health issues also delayed the 26-year-old's debut for the Clippers, but he provided a spark offensively when available.

Garland averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47.1 percent on field goals and 43.8 percent on triples with Los Angeles.

The Clippers finished with a 12-5 record in the 17 games that Garland and star forward Kawhi Leonard were both available.