Garland's offseason toe surgery delayed his start, and once he returned, he looked slightly diminished, averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 45.1 percent from the field. It was solid production for the young point guard, but a step down from his All-Star form. With Donovan Mitchell leading the way, the Cavaliers reworked their roster and opted for a blockbuster trade, choosing James Harden over Garland, who spent seven seasons as a franchise cornerstone in Cleveland. The change of scenery didn't fully solve Garland's problems. The toe that cost him the start of the season lingered all year, and the Clippers' season ended in the Play-In, where Garland put up 21 points, five rebounds and eight assists before fouling out of a loss to the Warriors. Now the questions pile up heading into 2026-27. Garland could face more competition for ball-handling duties after the Clippers drafted Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and a rebuilding roster investing a top-five pick at his position is rarely a vote of confidence for a 26-year-old on a big contract. Garland has shot 38 percent from three and 86.6 percent from the free-throw line in his career, averaging 20-plus points in four of the past five full seasons. Elite-percentage guards who pile up assists and threes don't grow on trees. However, he's now missed significant time in three of the past four campaigns, and his rebounds, steals and blocks were already among the thinnest of any early-round guard. Let Garland slide to the fifth or sixth round, where the risk is properly priced. If reports out of camp indicate the toe is finally behind him, he becomes one of the better bounce-back bets on the board.