Opportunity is everything in the NBA, which is why the phrase “situation matters” is such a part of the league’s lexicon. Guys who don’t fit on one team can be breakout performers on another.
Luka Garza is a good example of that, spending three years in Minnesota (after a season in Detroit after being selected in the second round out of college) but never really finding his footing on a team full of talented big men.
“He’s a good player.We knew that from our time with him here,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said before beating the Boston Celtics in Boston Sunday night. “We just didn't have quite the pathway to play him with all the bigs that we had, but he certainly helped us over the years. Was an unbelievable professional, great person, and happy for his success.”
Garza’s path in Boston also hasn’t exactly been linear. After some early success, Joe Mazzulla stumbled into some small-ball lineups with Josh Minott playing the center spot, which pushed Garza out of the rotation for seven of 11 games. Then after a long stretch of playing and contributing on a regular basis, the [Nikola Vučević](https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/onsi/did-nikola-vu-evi-inadvertently-reveal-his-actual-injury-timeline-01km9b48kn50) trade pushed him back to the end of the bench. Vucevic’s injury has Garza back in the game and enjoying success.
“It was fun. I told him, he was at the free throw line, I was like ‘damn you got stronger,’” Wolves center Naz Reid said. “But it was good to see him actually get real minutes in play and, you know, affect the game. And we all knew he can, it’s just good to see it, you know, being done on another team and in a real game situation.”
Finch says Garza’s commitment to the weight room is noticeable. Garza’s summer workouts with Reid and Jaden McDaniels helped both of those guys have breakout seasons. And even though Garza wasn’t getting the same opportunity, he was helping the team.
“He became an incredible ambassador, if you will, an example for our young players,” Finch said. “His positivity was off the charts. He said he set such an example of working. Just a tireless worker in the gym all the time, and just always supportive and positive.”
Garza has carried that over to Boston, where he is often the first person cheering for [Neemias Queta](https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/onsi/neemias-queta-s-dominant-night-vs-philadelphia-started-with-a-phone-call-in-july-01kjqqmycn78). The two centers have been in competition with one another for minutes, especially after the Vučević trade, but that hasn’t stopped Garza from being one of the first to cheerlead for Queta when he does something great on the floor.
“Yeah, me and Luka have a great relationship,” Queta recently said. “We've been knowing each other for a long time. Over the years, we've been pretty good. And whenever I'm on the bench, I'm just trying to cheer him up as much as I can. Maybe learn a little bit with the crashing and being able to get offensive rebounds because he's such a workhorse and he really gets his imprint on the game through that and in different ways. So yeah, I’m just trying to learn from him as much as I can as well.”
Garza’s attitude and work ethic stand out, and it’s what makes him a great teammate. He can produce on the floor, making a positive impact with his shooting and offensive rebounding, but when you combine it with all he brings to a team, it’s no wonder the guys who have been around him have nothing but positive things to say.
“I think that goes to the work that he put in, the way that he changed his body, and the hard work and dedication that he brings to the game,” Reid said. “I’m sure they love him here. We loved him in Minnesota, so I can only imagine how it is in Boston.”