The Celtics have spent plenty of time reshaping their frontcourt, but Luka Garza still has a real place in the picture.
Boston’s big-man group has already been a storyline, starting with the drafting of Chris Cenac Jr., then the addition of Mitchell Robinson, and then the re-signing of Neemias Queta to a very team-friendly extension. That naturally raises the question of where Garza fits now that the roster has changed around him.
The short answer: probably not all that differently than last season.
Garza earned his way into the conversation after arriving in Boston to a pretty muted reaction from fans. He kept building from there, turning himself into a favorite by giving the Celtics useful minutes as a backup big. His floor spacing, rebounding, and post work made him trustworthy, even if the Nikola Vucevic trade complicated the picture a bit.
Robinson’s arrival changes the depth chart, but it doesn’t erase the need for Garza. The biggest reason is simple: Robinson has a history of being unavailable, and even his healthiest season with New York only got him to 60 games. Boston can’t count on him to be out there all the time, and the real aim should be keeping him fresh for the postseason.
That’s where Garza matters.
He gave Boston enough steady production last season to help keep the team afloat, and that mattered more than people expected. The regular season showed he could handle the job, and there’s little reason to think that would suddenly disappear. Even after Vucevic’s late-season injury, Garza stepped back in and picked up where he had left off.
For now, Queta and Robinson look like Boston’s center pairing for the next few years, but Garza still profiles as a useful third big. If the Celtics want to manage Robinson carefully as the season wears on and the postseason gets closer, Garza gives them that option.
At first glance, Robinson’s addition might seem like bad news for Garza. In reality, it may make him even more valuable.
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