Boston Celtics center Luka Garza has yet to find a consistent role in the NBA after a dominant college career at Iowa. Through his four seasons with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, the former AP Player of the Year has averaged just 7.8 minutes per game.
He spent the lion’s share of his time in Minnesota on the bench behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid.
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Garza said of the beginning of his pro career after Tuesday’s practice, via CLNS Media. “It’s definitely tested me mentally.”
Back in July, Garza joined the Celtics on a two-year, $5.5 million contract with hopes of earning a rotation spot for the first time as a pro.
“I've been on some teams with some with incredible depth, especially in the big man position,” Garza told reporters at Monday’s Media Day. “So to be here, I just feel like there's a real runway to go out there and show what I can do, and I'm excited for it.”
The 26-year-old came to the right place, that’s for sure. Boston saw significant turnover at the center spot this summer, with Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet all heading to new homes.
Luka Garza could follow in Luke Kornet's footsteps to carve out a role for himself with the Celtics
Porzingis and Horford had established themselves in the league before their time with the Cs, but Kornet used his Celtics tenure to prove himself. The big man went from a G-League project to a rotation staple on a 60+ win team by finding niche ways to contribute to winning.
Things like setting good screens, spacing the floor from the dunker’s spot, and showing patience as a rim protector helped Kornet build an identity with Boston.
Garza enters his first Celtics season with a similar goal. He wants to use his minutes to elevate the team’s best scorers.
“My number one rule playing with Jaylen [Brown], or Payton [Pritchard], or Anfernee [Simons] is to get them open,” he explained. “Set good screens. Guys are going to press up on them. So that’s my number one focus when I get into an action with them, to get them open. In return, that creates opportunities for me. Whether it’s on the roll, or the pop, or even on the glass. I think they’ve all done a great job of finding some connection with me, talking to me, and vice versa.”
Figuring out how his new teammates tick has been one of Garza’s top priorities through his short time in Boston.
“Even if I’m not asking them, I’m watching how they play, seeing what side they like to get to, seeing which way they like to go in the pick-and-roll… stuff like that. I try to keep a good focus on that because I know that’ll help the team win.”
Neemias Queta is largely expected to be the starter when opening night rolls around, but Garza is primed for a Kornet-type role off the bench.
Success isn’t guaranteed, though. One of the biggest knocks on the former Iowa star has been his lack of mobility, specifically on defense. Quicker players love to take advantage of his slow feet, making him a liability at times.
Offensively, he’s largely been inefficient as a pro, too. The D.C. native has shot just 51% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc since entering the league.
Perhaps an increase in minutes will help Garza feel more comfortable on both ends of the floor. It’ll certainly be something to watch for when the Celtics kick off their preseason schedule on Oct. 8 in Memphis against the Grizzlies.