Luka Garza had a special collegiate career. As an Iowa Hawkeye, Garza averaged 24.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in his senior season. His trophy room remains one of the more impressive collections, including being a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and winning the 2021 National College Player of the Year.
But Garza’s shiny hardware didn’t earn him much draft stock. The Detroit Pistons drafted him 52nd overall in 2021, and his time in Detroit was short and disappointing. Garza showed flashes, including a 20-point double-double versus the Spurs last season, but he never came close to an everyday NBA player. Garza got assigned by the Pistons to join the Motor City Cruise, their G-League affiliate.
After a disappointing stint in the G-League, the Detroit Pistons decided not to pick up his second-year option in the offseason. Then the Wolves signed him to a two-way deal later in the offseason. When the Wolves first signed him, many fans saw an upside that will likely never be fulfilled. Detroit is a rebuilding team still looking for its franchise center. If they cut a center they just drafted, they didn’t see an immediate role for him. If Garza had shown even some promise of what the Pistons needed, they would have kept him for his upside – but they didn’t. That should be the first sign that he’s unlikely to make an impact in the league.
At one time, Garza had a unique offensive skill set for a modern NBA big man, but his floor spacing is a bit more normalized in today’s game. When Garza was really producing in college, specifically from behind the arc, shooting 35%, it was still a rarity for centers. But that skill set is more normalized now. Thirty-five centers are shooting over 30% from beyond the arc this year.
Furthermore, Garza’s three-point shot hasn’t transferred to the league, as some of his biggest supporters may have expected. Garza has only shot 32% from three in his NBA career.
It’s also important to note that a lot of Garza’s offensive work in the G-league comes with the ball in his hands, a luxury he will not experience in the NBA. There will never be a time when Garza will get to “run” the offense.
Despite his offensive potential, Garza’s defense has always held him back. Garza isn’t athletic enough to guard on the perimeter as a big man, nor is he athletic enough to play good interior defense.
The Wolves have struggled with transition defense, and a large part of those struggles is Minnesota’s lack of speed. Unfortunately, Garza does not help the Wolves in that department. Garza had the ninth-slowest lane agility time and the seventh-slowest shuttle time at the combine.
Lack of speed doesn’t just bring down transition defense; it dramatically affects Garza’s ability to play drop coverage on pick-and-roll actions. His lack of footspeed hinders his ability to slide into place under the basket in time, and his 24-inch vertical is the lowest in his class.
The play below perfectly exemplifies the issues with his athleticism. Garza comes up with help on the ball-handler, Derrick White – his coverage assignment. But he lacks the speed to get back to the roller, Jock Landale, and he’s not able to set his feet in front of him in time, causing himself to commit a foul.
There are also times where Garza loses his man. When Garza’s defensive assignment loses is a quicker, more athletic center, it can end like this:
Garza isn’t exactly a threat in the interior, and Garza is a target on the perimeter. Guards love to pick on Garza off of switches. His athleticism often lets him down in situations like this, and he’s unable to guard players like Jrue Holiday and Tyrese Haliburton in situations like these.
The Wolves are currently ranked 16th in DRTG at 111.8. There’s no reason to put another defensive liability on the floor just for the sake of curiosity. Naz Reid is a better option both on offense and defense.
On the offensive end, shooting numbers in college and the G-League are nice, but NBA close-outs are different. Until Garza proves reliable from behind the arc in the NBA, he can’t be described as a floor-spacer. So far, he’s a career 32% shooter.
There’s no real logic behind wanting Garza to play other than plain simply wanting him to play. He doesn’t fit on the Wolves; his weaknesses are exposed even more on a team that already struggles in those same areas. And truthfully, Garza has shown nothing to say his upside is actually there.
The G-League has become a great stepping stone for young NBA players, but players who find success from there are a dime a dozen. And even though Garza is leading that league in PPG, he’s only amassed a 5.6 PPG average in the NBA. The top 5 scorers in the G-League right now average out to averaging 3.2 PPG on 34% shooting in the NBA.
G-League competition is just not good enough to project their impact in the NBA. Garza gave nearly an entire season’s worth of film in the NBA, suggesting he has a lot of work to do before becoming even a depth player.
Reid is one of, if not the best, backup centers in the league, and he was getting coach’s decision DNP’s before Towns’ injury. Even with Towns’ injury, there aren’t enough minutes for Garza. But even before getting to Reid’s spot, Garza has to take over Nathan Knight’s spot. Knight is another athletic, promising, and young center waiting for his turn and stands comfortably in front of Garza.
It’d be a great story if Garza can overcome all this adversity and still eke out a spot in the rotation during Towns’ absences. Even after writing this, I hope it happens. The Wolves desperately need new energy, but just because they are in need doesn’t mean they can start chasing it. In Garza’s case, his fit on the team is bad, there is too much talent in front of him, and he may not possess NBA-level talent. Wolves have many questions, but Garza isn’t the answer to them.
