Point guard Darius Garland and the Los Angeles Clippers will begin the 2026-27 season against the Sacramento Kings at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Garland will serve as the featured player for the Clippers this season after the departure of Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard was traded during the offseason to the Toronto Raptors for a package that included forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick and various draft picks.
Ingram would've played a big role for the Clippers to start the season but is expected to miss time as he recovers from right heel surgery. He also has a partially torn right Achilles tendon.
Garland will be in the starting lineup alongside Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Rui Hachimura and Isaiah Jackson.
Coach Tyronn Lue stated that having this lineup allows for an extra ball handler to be on the court and creates more opportunities for Garland.
“Just being able to move Darius off the ball, running around a little bit so teams can’t just lock into him when he’s running pick and roll,” Lue explained. “If’we had to come off, catch and shoot, if it’s not there, they’re running pick and roll to try to move them around more because of his speed and his ability to shoot the basketball.”
Dunn and Jones are familiar faces for the Clippers, having been with the team since the 2024-25 season.
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Hachimura has spent the last few seasons in Los Angeles as a member of the Lakers but joined the rival Clippers as a free agent during the offseason.
Jackson was traded by the Indiana Pacers to Los Angeles in February as part of a package deal.
Rookie Keaton Wagler will make his regular-season debut coming off the bench for Los Angeles.
Wagler was the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Illinois.
Clippers' starting lineup
- Guard Darius Garland
- Guard Kris Dunn
- Forward Derrick Jones Jr.
- Forward Rui Hachimura
- Center Isaiah Jackson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clippers announce starting lineup vs. Kings in season opener