Mar 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Celtics' $5.5 Million Addition Named Top Breakout Candidate

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI | By Jason Fray | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The decision for the Boston Celtics to sign center Luka Garza to a modest two-year deal didn't draw much attention in the way of headlines.

Many project Garza to be a backup center to the likes of Neeima Queta or perhaps Chris Boucher. Garza played sparingly for the Minnesota Timberwolves over the last handful of seasons. Clearly, there was something the Celtics liked in his game thus leading to the multi-deal contract.

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Jay King of The Athletic recently wrote a piece on the Celtics in which he did a deep-dive into the team's roster construction.

King wrote a very compelling case for Garza as it pertains to possibly even starting this season. The offensive skill-set the former Iowa star brings to the table was especially highlighted.

Will Chris Boucher or Luka Garza challenge Neemias Queta for the Celtics' starting center role? @ChrisForsberg_ poses a BIG question to our "Ramp to Camp" panel https://t.co/xiGKYpRMqY pic.twitter.com/hV7QhtqMdj
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) September 10, 2025

"Though Garza rarely played in Minnesota while behind several established big men, his limited playing time has produced reasons for optimism. His career offensive rebound rate (15.9 percent) would have ranked second in the NBA last season among qualifying players. Over three seasons in Minnesota, he averaged 25.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per 36 minutes. Though that came over the tiny sample size of 584 total minutes, he has been able to put his imprint on games offensively. (Yes, one of the Celtics’ likely frontcourt contributors only played 584 minutes combined over the past three seasons. And yes, that might be a bad sign for the team. Still, much like Queta, Garza has been productive when on the court.)"

King then brought up the biggest deterrent against Garza — his inability to protect the rim at a high clip.

"Will Garza hold up well defensively? Maybe not! Will he just take a lot of 3s or will he actually make some? Who knows! But he should fill up the stat sheet and the Celtics will get to evaluate whether he deserves to be part of their long-term plan."

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People forget that Garza was a walking double-double during his college days. The two-time First Team All-American was also a two-time Sporting News Player of the Year award winner for good measure.

Recruiting Luka Garza to your squad is a pretty good way to get in the win column. https://t.co/tedEZ21LnH pic.twitter.com/CzLjcnAbHM
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) August 14, 2025

While no one is conceivably expecting Garza to suddenly morph into an NBA All-Star, there could be some real potential unlocked in Beantown with more consistent playing time compared to what the center experienced in Minnesota.