The Los Angeles Clippers hold the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Due to a midseason trade with the Indiana Pacers that sent Ivica Zubac, the Clippers had a 47 percent chance of even having a first-round pick. 

Another midseason move Los Angeles made was trading away James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland. Garland, 26, played 19 games with the Clippers and was a key piece of their late-season surge to the play-in tournament. 

Garland averaged 19.9 points per game, 6.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds through those 19 games and assimilated himself very quickly into this Clippers system. 

Darius Garland has one of the more versatile skillsets in among guards in the NBA. He's a capable three-point shooter, shooting 39.6 percent in his career from downtown, and can also be a floor general for a team, averaging 6.7 assists per game. 

Not only does Garland bring shooting and playmaking to the Clippers, but he also brings meaningful experience. Garland has been a part of three Cavaliers teams that have reached the postseason. 

He averages 17.3 points per game, 5.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in his playoff career.

While he isn't someone who raises his level of play during the playoffs, his experience is essential considering he's on a roster that will continue to get younger in the coming years. 

With the way the 2026 NBA Draft is projected to turn out, the Clippers sit in a spot where they have various options on who to draft at point guard. Prospects such as Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff Jr. have been linked to Los Angeles. 

Both players were vital pieces for their respective college teams and were primary ball handlers. If the Clippers were to draft one of these players, one would have to assume that Garland's days in Los Angeles are numbered less than a season into him arriving there. 

The Clippers could keep Garland to serve a veteran role for an incoming rookie, but at 26 years old, his trade value will only go down the older he gets. 

Drafting a guard could also hurt Darius Garland's morale. Knowing that his replacement is playing beside him at this stage of his career could be frustrating. 

If the Clippers want to get the most out of Garland, they can trade back in the draft and find a forward or center to develop as he gets a full season as the Clippers' point guard. 

Getting a center or forward would mean the complete opposite for Garland in LA. That move would imply they'd like to keep him around and see what they have in him. 

The Clippers have many options with the fifth overall pick that can affect Garland directly, but they should prioritize finding the best fit rather than the best player since they have yet to fully reset their roster.