When Luka Garza was dominating college basketball at Iowa, he looked like the kind of player who could carve out a long NBA career. He was unstoppable on the block, stretched the floor with a reliable three-point shot, and found his way to back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year awards. Yet, in three years as a pro, Garza’s NBA career has been very different.
Drafted by Minnesota, he struggled to find consistent minutes behind Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid. Despite putting up gaudy G-League numbers and showing flashes in preseason, Garza has never broken through on the biggest stage.
Now, at 26, he finds himself in Boston, signing a two-year $5.5 million guaranteed contract as the Celtics are entering a rare transition year while Jayson Tatum rehabs from his Achilles tear. It’s not a perfect scenario, but it might be the opportunity Garza has been waiting for.
Boston Could Unlock Luka Garza
The Celtics don’t need Garza to be a star. They just need him to be useful. With Tatum sidelined and Al Horford likely gone, Boston’s frontcourt is searching for reliable depth. Garza’s combination of size, skill, and floor spacing could make him a unique weapon off the bench. He’s not the most mobile defender, but was an unbelievable college scorer who is capable of punishing mismatches inside while also dragging bigs out of the paint with his shooting.
If the Celtics can carve out steady minutes for him, Garza could finally prove he’s more than a fringe rotation player. Even 10–15 solid minutes a night while setting screens, grabbing boards, and knocking down corner threes would give Boston exactly what it needs this season.
Lessons from Iowa and Minnesota
At Iowa, Garza thrived not just because of talent but because he maximized every possession. He posted historic efficiency numbers, battled in the paint, and expanded his game to the perimeter. The tools are still there; what’s missing is a franchise willing to bet on them translating to the NBA.
Minnesota never really had that room. Garza was buried behind All-Stars and rotation locks, stuck waiting for opportunities that never came. But in Boston, there’s no stacked depth chart blocking him anymore. The pathway to meaningful minutes is clear if he can seize it.
The Stakes: Bust or Breakthrough
The reality is simple: Garza doesn’t have unlimited time left to prove himself. By the end of 2025, the league will have its answer: either he’s a skilled, playable big who can be a contributing factor, or he’s another college star who couldn’t make the leap.
This year with the Celtics is his audition. Boston is treating 2025–26 as a bridge season, one focused on building talent like Garza and Queta and also reloading for Tatum’s return in 2026–27. That gives Luka the space to play, grow, and showcase value. If he succeeds, he could become part of Boston’s long-term plans or, at the very least, raise his trade value into a real NBA asset.
His Final Chance
No more Devin Booker jokes about the wrong Luka being traded.
For Garza, this isn’t just another season. It’s the moment that will likely define the rest of his career. The Celtics need him, and he needs them just as badly. If he can provide steady minutes, energy, and scoring punch off the bench, he’ll prove he belongs in the NBA rotation conversation.
Garza’s days of being a dominant college big are long gone, but Boston might be the place where he finally proves he’s not a bust.