The 2025-26 Boston Celtics already look much different from last year's team. Without four of their key contributors from their championship core, the Celtics won’t be the same elite-level team they’ve been the past few seasons, and it'll be interesting to see if that problem motivates anyone to step up.
Despite lacking the talent they once had, the Celtics have demonstrated in just three preseason games that they’ll be a competitive team with their new additions. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has already previewed his plans for offseason signing Luka Garza, as he’s already showcased his ability to fill the void the team lost with the departure of Luke Kornet.
Luka Garza Will Play the Luke Kornet Role for Celtics in 2025-26
While Kornet wasn’t nearly as valuable as Kristaps Porzingis or Al Horford, he was a big boost off the bench. He served as a great screener and a terrific rim protector, finishing the season with a career-high in rebounds (5.3) and minutes (18.6). Kornet was crucial to the team’s pick-and-roll game, finishing with the 29th-highest pick-and-roll frequency (.186) and third in pick-and-roll man points per possession (1.33).
Now, with Kornet on the San Antonio Spurs, Mazzulla has tasked Garza with filling his shoes by being the team’s big-man option off the bench. Garza has been used similarly to Kornet in preseason play, being heavily involved in pick-and-rolls, and providing the Celtics with points in the paint off rolls to the basket.
Through three games, Garza is averaging 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 16 minutes per outing. Like Kornet, Garza has been impactful on the glass and excels at screening. Despite being positioned to take Kornet’s minutes and being used similarly to him, the new Celtic is also a much different player.
Garza is a much better scorer around the rim than Kornet and gives the Celtics a big boost on offense. In limited play through his four seasons in the NBA, he has showcased his efficient scoring, averaging 4.9 points in 7.8 minutes for his career. He’s been terrific at drawing fouls, drawing 5.8 fouls per 100 possessions.
Although Garza isn’t a stretch big, he’s working on improving his three-point shooting, as he’s a career 31.4% three-point shooter. One of Garza’s weaknesses is that he is not a good defender, while his inexperience could also be a source of frustration.
Garza, 26, has spent his career as a depth piece, appearing in 124 games in his career, including only 92 games in the last three years as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.3 assists, shooting 49.5% from the field in 5.6 minutes last season, leaving time to tell if he's ready for a bigger role.
Garza will be competing with Neemias Queta and Chris Boucher for minutes at center this season. If the offseason addition can give the Celtics a similar impact to Kornet, a career season could be on the horizon for Garza.