The Boston Celtics just made a move that totally reshapes their big man rotation, bringing in Mitchell Robinson as a free agent this summer. This immediately puts Luka Garza’s significant minutes from last season on the chopping block. It’s a gut punch for a guy who just had a career year, but clearly, the Celtics wanted more.
From Career High to Out of Favor
Last season, Garza truly busted his tail and became an important piece for the Celtics. Joe Mazzulla himself noticed that effort and his three-point shooting, giving Garza more court time than ever before. He logged an incredible 1,118 minutes, a career high that was 145 more than he had played in his *entire career* prior. You’d think after that, he’d be locked into a bigger role. But the Celtics clearly felt they “proved to not have enough at the 5 last season,” making that splash for Robinson. He’s a known force: a “great offensive rebounder, pick-and-roll man and defender” who’s expected to seriously improve Boston.
The Hard Numbers and Harder Truth
So, where does that leave Garza? He’s not entirely out of the picture. Robinson, for all his talent, only played 60 games and 1,175 minutes last season, so he’s going to miss time. Garza can definitely step in and eat minutes on those nights. Mazzulla might even try “double big looks” with Garza playing alongside Queta or Robinson. However, the numbers from last season with Garza and Queta together were not pretty: the Celtics scored 114.5 points per 100 possessions, a brutal 6.6 points down from their season average of 121.1. That combo just did not work.
Queta and Robinson are built for Mazzulla’s style this year, with similar skill sets that keep Boston consistent. Garza does bring something different: his three-point shooting, a skill neither Robinson nor Queta possesses. So, if Mazzulla wants a “5 out with a big” look, Garza will be his guy. He’s also a “good screener” and “good offensive rebounder.” But despite these skills, the hard truth is that Queta and Robinson are simply “better players than Garza.”
A Playoff Nightmare That Signals the Shift
This explains why Garza is “falling out of the rotation.” Look at his lone playoff start in Game 7 last season. He played a mere 8 minutes and 38 seconds, and was a painful -15 in a game Boston lost by just 9 points. The defense with him on the court was “a disaster,” giving up a defensive rating of 120. Compare that to Queta, who in 32 minutes and 33 seconds, saw the Celtics go +9 with a defensive rating of 111.5. The article bluntly states: “However bad you think Garza was that night, it was worse.” Robinson is expected to be a “massive upgrade to Garza defensively,” and that’s going to show big time this season. Garza clearly showed he’s an “NBA caliber big man who can eat minutes” in the regular season, but his path to meaningful time in Boston just got a whole lot harder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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