The LA Clippers were active ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The team surprised fans with a big trade that sent star guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland. In the last minute, LA also dealt their longtime center, Ivica Zubac, to the Indiana Pacers, for Bennedict Mathurin.
The trades the team made gave them young talent they can build around later in the future. Garland is a two-time All-Star, but has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons. Mathurin, meanwhile, is an exceptional scorer. This season, he’s averaging 17.8 points and could share the backcourt with the star guard.
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Following the trades, here is an updated depth chart.
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The Clippers (23-27) are ninth in the Western Conference. The team worked hard to improve their record, especially after the 6-21 start to the 2025-26 season. The team goal remains the same, which is to contend for the NBA championship.
Although the team performed well even with Harden and Zubac on the team, adding young talent gives them something to build around in the future. Before the start of the season, LA had the oldest team. In the trades they made, the team also traded 40-year-old Chris Paul to the Toronto Raptors.
Zubac, who has been the team’s center since 2019, was reportedly a target of the Pacers ahead of Tyrese Haliburton’s return from injury. During his time with the team, he averaged 11.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
Darius Garland knew the Clippers trade before everyone else
The rumors between the Clippers and the Cavaliers emerged days before the trade deadline. The reports indicated that the two franchises have had “advanced talks” regarding a point guard swap. The trade became a reality on Tuesday, and Garland revealed that he knew about the deal beforehand, which is why he wasn’t surprised when it was finalized.
“When the trade happened, and I was already here, so it wasn’t like that big of a move. So, it was pretty easy for me,” Garland said (Timestamp at 0:53). “Just switch hotels basically. So, yeah, that was pretty easy. But, getting to the facility, coming to the arena, being around everybody, meeting new faces, meeting new people, is super cool.
“Yeah, I knew about it. I mean, it wasn’t a shock. Oh, I knew, it wasn’t a shock though. It’s the business of basketball.”
The Clippers have a promising young talent in Garland. During his time in Cleveland, the star guard averaged 18.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 6.7 apg. He’s an excellent shooter who can also control the offense with his passing skills.
The star guard is out with a toe sprain, and the team has not announced when he’ll play his first game.
Edited by Reign Amurao
