As the Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, former Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star point guard Darius Garland sneakily stole the biggest victory of the night.
During Garland's years in Cleveland, he lept into stardom during his third season, helping then-rookie Evan Mobley to breakout as a future star and cemented Jarrett Allen's status as a high-end center. The Gary, Indiana native distributed the ball with impeccable timing, and his shifty ball handling could break down defenders with craftsmanship reminscent of prime Kyrie Irving and Allen Iverson.
Cleveland sent Garland to the city of angels, pairing Garland with Kawhi Leonard in exchange for 11-time All-Star James Harden. At 26 years old, Garland was handed a fresh start, joining the LA Clippers as the star of the first generation of the new Intuit Dome. Once Garland fully rehabbed from his turf toe surgery last summer, he appeared in 19 games and averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 43.8 percent on three-pointers. The young guard was revitalizing his status as a true star in the Association, but one thing was missing: another young running mate.
Former division rival Bennedict Mathurin also joined from the Indiana Pacers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade which is now gifting Garland the perfect offseason scenario. While Mathurin is already making strides as a foundational piece for the Clippers, he has not emerged as an All-Star wing for the long-term future. As part of the Zubac-for-Mathurin swap, the Pacers sent a uniquely-protected 2026 First-Round pick to the Clips, sending the pick back to Indy if it landed in the top 4 or within picks 10-30.
That pick landed one pick out of that protection, sending the fifth-overall pick to the LA Clippers instead of the Pacers.
Garland is getting his next co-star very soon
Despite trading Garland for a guard 10 years older, his time as a Cavalier was filled with countless unforgettable highlights. He was often a great star next to Donovan Mitchell or Mobley, but the team's overall fit and needs for a durable, healthy star in the playoffs eventualy pushed Garland out the door.
The best element of Garland's game has always been his ability to elevate his teammates with his offensive gravity to draw defenses away and his selfless passing to take advantage of that gravity. Adding a top-five pick from the historically loaded 2026 Draft Class could be the key to an ideal Clippers future.
Following the lottery, a flurry of mock drafts hit the Internet, surfacing plenty of takes on top prospects and their projected teams. For the Clippers, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler continually appears at the fifth spot, pairing the 6-foot-6 combo guard with Garland as the backcourt of LA's future.
In Wagler's lone collegiate season, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. ESPN's mock draft praised Wagler for his role in leading the Fighting Illini to the Final Four this season, emerging as one of the fastest-rising prospects of the class. His size and versatility makes his fit with Garland painfully obvious. While the 6-foot-1 Garland is a masterclass point guard and floor general, his frame leaves a glaring weak point opposing teams can exploit. Wagler solves this as an oversized two guard with the capability of fillng point guard minutes as necessary.
Other notable prospects likely to be available at five include forward Nate Ament, guard Brayden Burries and center Jayden Quaintance. The Clippers will probably miss out on 6-foot-10 Caleb Wilson, who might be the best possible talent to play with Garland, but the options left are still possible to change the trajectory of the franchise.
After years being viewed as a team with no future and aging stars, the Clippers' Garland-centric future has taken a sharp turn in the right direction after losing in the Play-In Tournament to the Golden State Warriors. Adding a true point guard like DG at the deadline gave a glimmer of hope for the Clippers, but this fifth pick is the perfect opportunity for the Clippers and their new star guard to reach new heights and offer the fan base a reason to show up in droves.
For the Cleveland Cavaliers, seeing a new co-star for Darius Garland will create some bittersweet moments, flashing back to his greatest plays in wine and gold. Nonetheless, Garland was the star to kickstart the modern Cavs era, and Cleveland should warmly celebrate Garland's new home and fresh journey.
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