Shortly after the news of Luke Kornet signing with the San Antonio Spurs, came the announcement that Luka Garza was joining the Boston Celtics. He did so on a two-year, $5.5 million deal.
At Summer League on Sunday, Garza told Hardwood Houdini what attracted him to the chance to join the 18-time NBA champions.
"Obviously, the franchise speaks for itself, just the winning and the history, and I'm a big basketball junkie, so obviously the chance to put on that uniform and play for the Celtics is attractive enough," said Garza.
"But obviously, there's a lot of opportunity, especially in the front court, with the guys that we have. I think the front office and the coaches believe in me and what I can do. So I just saw that as really good for me at this stage of my career."
When given an opportunity, the six-foot-10 center has consistently impressed.
The former Iowa Hawkeye took home AP Player of the Year and the John Wooden Award while starring as one of the nation's most dominant offensive forces.
In 2022-23, while playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves' G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, he averaged 32.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks in six games. Garza also launched 4.7 threes and converted them at a 42.9 percent clip.
When sharing what motivated the Celtics to sign the 26-year-old from Washington, D.C., Brad Stevens told Hardwood Houdini that Garza is a "stats darling, but in limited time behind very, very good players."
In his four years with the Timberwolves, he produced 4.5 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest in 6.3 minutes of floor time across 92 games. Last season, he generated 3.5 points per tilt in 5.6 minutes in 39 appearances.
"It was time to find that opportunity to get on the floor," said Garza on Sunday. "It was a priority for me to get to somewhere where I could get more of those opportunities."
Luka Garza's message from the Celtics' coaching staff
Garza is joining a team in Boston expected to go through a "gap year." Jayson Tatum is working his way back from an Achilles tear. There is a distinct possibility he'll miss next season.
Furthermore, the punitive nature of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement has forced the departures of Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kornet. Al Horford will soon head elsewhere as well.
For a Celtics team two years removed from an NBA title, after making the Eastern Conference Finals a nearly annual trip, they're entering unfamiliar territory.
Garza sees excitement in embracing that challenge.
"I think everyone's just excited in general," he told Hardwood Houdini. "Excited for where we are. [We have] kind of been the hunted for a long time, and now you can be the hunter and go after teams, and obviously, there's so much opportunity in the East just with everything going on."
Perhaps a group comprised of prideful champions and those fighting for more opportunities will surprise people in a wide-open Eastern Conference this season.