Los Angeles Notes: Garland, Lopez, James Assist, Layoff

As far back as last summer, Darius Garland figured he wouldn’t be playing for the Cavaliers much longer. His premonition came true this winter when the high-scoring guard was dealt to the Clippers, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

“It’s a new chapter of my life,” Garland said. “Rich (agent Rich Paul) talked about it even last summer, before it happened, (saying) it’s probably going to be our last year there. So, I was ready for it. I knew it was going to come sooner or later. So, when it happened, I was like, ‘Let’s just do it. Let’s rock out.’”

Garland is averaging 21.3 points and 7.0 assists with his new team.

“It’s like a new breath of life, like a revamp,” Garland said. “Being around the guys makes it a lot easier because they’re so welcoming. Everybody’s super silly. Everybody’s talkative. My first day there, they were holding their arms out, for real, like, ‘Welcome.’ A lot of big brothers on this team.”

Garland is in the middle of a five-year, $197.2MM contract.

Here’s more on the Los Angeles teams:

• Milwaukee rolled out a tribute video for Brook Lopez when the Clippers center returned to the team on which he won a championship. “I mean, I pointed to the crew but obviously the banner, too,” Lopez said, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “A lot of good memories here. I appreciate the love and support. I think we had fun tonight.” Lopez had eight points and seven rebounds in the Clippers’ 14-point win on Sunday.
• LeBron James and son Bronny James had a special moment against the Nets on Friday. They recorded the first assist from a father to a son in NBA history. “It was a special moment with us two and a lot more to come down the road,” Bronny James said, per Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register. “Well, I just think just not take it for granted and just being in a moment of us being on the floor once again, that’s two games back to back, playing meaningful minutes,” LeBron James said. “I got doubled and he was able to fake the pass to the corner and then knock down the three. So definitely a cool moment for us and also for the family.”
• A much-needed two-day break on the Lakers’ schedule allowed them to rest up for today’s game against the Wizards. Luka Doncic will serve his one-game suspension for reaching the league’s season technical limit. “Yeah, for me, I think, based on all of them wanting to come in at 10 a.m. on a Sunday, I think it is as much mental and spiritual and emotional,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times after practice. “We didn’t want to have these guys in here long today. But we got a lot done, watched some film and cleaned some stuff up. But there is these two days for us. It’s a great reset for us.”