LAS VEGAS — Josh Minott and Luka Garza spoke to reporters for the primary time as Celtics at halfime of the Celtics’ Summer season League recreation in opposition to the Knicks.
For Garza, the choice to signal with Boston got here all the way down to each the potential alternative of carving out a job, and the franchise’s longstanding legacy.
“The franchise speaks for itself, simply the successful and the historical past and I’m an enormous basketball junkie so clearly the prospect to placed on that uniform and play for the Celtics is enticing sufficient,” Garza stated. “However clearly, there’s numerous alternative, particularly within the entrance courtroom, with the fellows that we’ve got. I feel the entrance workplace and the coaches consider in me and what I can do.”
Luka Garza on his choice to signal with the Celtics:
“I am an enormous basketball junkie so clearly the prospect to placed on that uniform and play for the Celtics is enticing sufficient.”
“I feel the entrance workplace and the coaches consider in me and what I can do.” pic.twitter.com/0APy3hPEEN
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) July 13, 2025
The Celtics will likely be with out Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and most certainly, Al Horford, subsequent season, so who will lead the workforce’s frontcourt rotation stays to be seen. Neemias Queta, Garza, and rookie Amari Williams at the moment headline the workforce’s frontcourt choices.
Garza, who’s 26 years outdated, has by no means gotten a lot of an on-court alternative within the NBA. Final 12 months, he appeared in simply 39 video games, averaging 5.6 minutes an evening.
He seems ahead to a potentially-expanded alternative in Boston.
“It’s big,” Garza stated. “I really feel like I’ve discovered a lot from my time in Minnesota from being round these sort of men. I feel it was time to seek out that chance to get on the ground. I felt like within the restricted alternatives that I used to be capable of get, I used to be capable of present properly and maximize these, however for me, it was a precedence for me to get to someplace the place I might get extra of these alternatives.”
And, whereas many are counting the Celtics out subsequent season, Garza stated the workforce seems ahead to the chance.
“I feel everybody’s simply excited generally,” Garza stated. “Excited for the place we’re. [The Celtics have] sort of been the hunted for a very long time, and now you will be the hunter and go after groups, and clearly there’s a lot alternative within the east simply with every part happening.”
Garza and Minott are making the transition to the Celtics collectively
Minott and Garza have been teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2022, when Minott was drafted and Garza signed his first customary contract.
However, the 2 didn’t coordinate each coming to Minnesota.
“I didn’t know,” Garza stated. “It was a shock, however I referred to as him immediately. We have been each excited. We’ve been by way of quite a bit collectively.”
Minott mirrored on the messaging he’s acquired from Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics teaching employees to date.
“Nothing’s given,” Minott stated. “Every thing’s earned. Don’t anticipate something, and actually, that’s every part to me. I simply want the chance to get the prospect to show who I’m and present what I can do.”
The 22-year-old stated he’ll deliver “that Minnesota protection” to Boston, a nod to the Timberwolves routinely having one of many NBA’s high defenses lately.
“Shit, I really feel like I can guard like one by way of 4, and perhaps some fives,” Minott stated. “However I’d say one by way of 4 for positive.”
