LAS VEGAS — Josh Minott and Luka Garza spoke to reporters for the first time as Celtics at halfime of the Celtics’ Summer League game against the Knicks.
For Garza, the decision to sign with Boston came down to both the potential opportunity of carving out a role, and the franchise’s longstanding legacy.
“The franchise speaks for itself, just the winning and the history and I’m a big basketball junkie so obviously the chance to put on that uniform and play for the Celtics is attractive enough,” Garza said. “But obviously, there’s a lot of opportunity, especially in the front court, with the guys that we have. I think the front office and the coaches believe in me and what I can do.”
Luka Garza on his decision to sign with the Celtics:
“I’m a big basketball junkie so obviously the chance to put on that uniform and play for the Celtics is attractive enough.”
“I think the front office and the coaches believe in me and what I can do.” pic.twitter.com/0APy3hPEEN
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) July 13, 2025
The Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and most likely, Al Horford, next season, so who will lead the team’s frontcourt rotation remains to be seen. Neemias Queta, Garza, and rookie Amari Williams currently headline the team’s frontcourt options.
Garza, who is 26 years old, has never gotten much of an on-court opportunity in the NBA. Last year, he appeared in just 39 games, averaging 5.6 minutes a night.
He looks forward to a potentially-expanded opportunity in Boston.
“It’s huge,” Garza said. “I feel like I’ve learned so much from my time in Minnesota from being around those type of guys. I think it was time to find that opportunity to get on the floor. I felt like in the limited opportunities that I was able to get, I was able to show well and maximize those, but for me, it was a priority for me to get to somewhere where I could get more of those opportunities.”
And, while many are counting the Celtics out next season, Garza said the team looks forward to the opportunity.
“I think everyone’s just excited in general,” Garza said. “Excited for where we are. [The Celtics have] kind of been the hunted for a long time, and now you can be the hunter and go after teams, and obviously there’s so much opportunity in the east just with everything going on.”
Garza and Minott are making the transition to the Celtics together
Minott and Garza have been teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2022, when Minott was drafted and Garza signed his first standard contract.
But, the two didn’t coordinate both coming to Minnesota.
“I didn’t know,” Garza said. “It was a surprise, but I called him right away. We were both excited. We’ve been through a lot together.”
Minott reflected on the messaging he’s received from Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics coaching staff so far.
“Nothing’s given,” Minott said. “Everything’s earned. Don’t expect anything, and honestly, that’s everything to me. I just need the opportunity to get the chance to prove who I am and show what I can do.”
The 22-year-old said he will bring “that Minnesota defense” to Boston, a nod to the Timberwolves routinely having one of the NBA’s top defenses in recent years.
“Shit, I feel like I can guard like one through four, and maybe some fives,” Minott said. “But I’d say one through four for sure.”
