Luka Garza is an ideal third big man for the Boston Celtics this season. In a pinch, he can give them efficient offensive contributions, and he can hold his own on the boards with his motor and strong stature.
Right now, Garza is Boston's second big. Clearly, it's not the worst thing. The Celtics are holding onto a No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, hoping they can get one of their two best players back in the next few weeks.
At the same time, the Celtics are two years removed from a title and a year removed from a run that might've been a Jayson Tatum away from a title, though. Now, Boston could be a Tatum away from the title again, but team president/de facto general manager Brad Stevens has recognized that there's a need for a "big-time starting center"— and he's aiming to acquire one by the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“I could see Boston adding, they’ve been in the marketplace for a big-time starting center — they’re going to be aggressive to move the needle," ESPN's Shams Charania said (h/t @@PlayoffBOS).
If there's a "big-time starting center" on the way, one figures that Neemias Queta could be moved to the bench to accommodate him. Given how well the team has played with Queta in the lineup, this new big man could even theoretically split starts with No. 88, with matchups dictating who gets the nod.
Either way, the team will need to demote one of their bigs in the event that Charania's rumor comes true. There is no world in which head coach Joe Mazzulla chooses Queta to demote in the rotation instead of Garza in that scenario.
Celtics Must Upgrade Luka Garza to Capitalize on Jayson Tatum's Pending Retrn
While Garza provides floor-spacing at the 5 in a more traditional sense, he can't provide the mismatches that Tatum would. It's unclear what big men could be brought in by the deadline, but the names bandied about right now include non-spacers like the Los Angeles Clippers' Ivica Zubac and the Dallas Mavericks' Daniel Gafford.
Garza should be kept on the roster. Just not in the same role, with Tatum's return and a potential impact big man on the way to Boston within the next month or so.
Tatum's seemingly imminent potential return gives Mazzulla more than just a second offensive centerpiece to take the load off Jaylen Brown and give Derrick White and Payton Pritchard more spot-up opportunities. They need another center that will help with those opportunities, not limit them.
Having Tatum back on the floor gives Mazzulla the chance to go small and have a five-out lineup that provides spacing and facilitation at every position. To fully capitalize on that potential, the Celtics need to upgrade Garza's roster spot to a big man who can handle the starting spotlight and make winning another title attainable.
With just over a week to go before the trade deadline, only time will tell if Stevens can find the right trade target that fits the bill.