AUGUST 17: Garza has officially signed his two-way contract with Detroit, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
AUGUST 16: Rookie big man Luka Garza will sign a two-way contract with the Pistons, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The No. 52 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Iowa, Garza was named the Player of the Year as a senior in 2020/21 after averaging 24.1 PPG and 8.7 RPG on .553/.440/.709 shooting in 31 games (31.5 MPG). He was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and two-time consensus first-team All-American as well.
Garza’s professional career got off to a solid start in Las Vegas, where he has averaged 13.5 PPG and 8.3 RPG in just 19.8 minutes per contest (four games) for Detroit in Summer League play.
The Pistons already have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, with Hamidou Diallo‘s restricted free agency still to be resolved, so it makes sense that the team would dedicate one of its two-way contract slots to Garza rather than trying to squeeze him onto the 15-man regular season roster. Undrafted UCLA swingman Chris Smith is expected to occupy Detroit’s other two-way spot.
The Pistons’ No. 57 overall pick, Balsa Koprivica, remains unsigned without a clear path to a spot on the regular season roster or a two-way deal. It’s possible Detroit intends to stash Koprivica overseas or in the G League.
Luka is top 5 most popular rookie?
I think that could be valid. He is a lot more well known to casual fans that most draft picks right now. Even those drafted very high like Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga because casual fans have never seen them play.
I think Green and Kuminga are most likely going to be better NBA players than Garza, but there is no disputing that the NCAA player of the year is more well known than a couple of highly regarded minor league prospects that very few people had actually seen play before the Summer League.
I can understand teams passing on this guy until the 2nd round but I’m surprised he fell as far in the 2nd as he did. He seems like a guy who can give you some bench production at the very worst.
I think the fear is he will almost be unplayable on defense and forget about it if he ever get’s caught on a switch (he will ofc) –
His absolute ceiling is probably Enes Kanter, which isn’t bad, but he probably has a lot of work to even get to that point at the next level
I think he has more drive than Kanter to be a good player, so while I like the comp a lot, I think he has a higher ceiling than that.
Yea you guys are right in the drive, extra offensive potential, etc, etc
I probably worded it too harshly- My worry is playoff time with him when opposing coaches can gameplan a 7 game series of getting him involved on switches defensively …
Id reference Zubac here w Rudy being the bigger (worse) example. Zubac’s reg season salary is fine but once the clock hits playoffs he’s useless, that’s my main fear here w Garza and reason I think he fell
I like his prototype tbh (and player) just opposing coaches have gotten soo good lately at exposing non switchable players when the lights are bright it caps the ceiling. He’s going to have a hard time on that island in switches no matter how hard he works, just doesn’t have the athletic capability’s despite the high B-ball IQ and work ethic
* Also kinda ties into why I don’t think Clips will pick up the 7 mill option on Zubac next year despite it being a pretty decent bargain by todays standards –
They are a playoff team and he just doesn’t help them get over that hump, like at all …He’s like an inns eater in baseball from the mound, useful reg season/cheerleader playoffs
Now its Ballmer, and only money, so perhaps they do (despite it adding major tax) but I bet they never extend him out farther than that after and are not as enamored as they were a couple years ago
he could be used like brook lopez.
I somewhat agree with Cap Crunch but I think Luka has shown more willingness to learn defence and looks like he has a high work ethic.
Whereas Kanter plays next to no defence.
One comparison I kind of like could be Jokic, without the passing. Luka can shoot the ball with ease, he’s got some dribble moves, and with his work ethic he could really work out the rest. Just teams a team that’ll help develop him and work with him, which could be the Pistons. I don’t think he will ever become a MVP or franchise player like Jokic but I think his ceiling could be an Andre Drummond, Jusuf Nurkic ish dude
This guy is a gamer. He will be a rotational player in the NBA.
Really like this guys game, and where his head is at thinking the game. He will have a good career if he stays in shape.
The key for this guys is getting in TOP physical condition. If he can get to the fitness level of a D Howard (hypothetically). He will definately get a big contract. Because he has the skills and the IQ.
He could have gotten much more money and experience in Europe…
Maybe that is not what he wanted to do. Maybe he wanted to be in the NBA. I would not want anyone doing this just for money on my team anyway. Money is a great incentive, but it should not be the ultimate goal in life. If you don’t love what you do and where you work, no amount of money in the world is going to ever make you happy.
He was amazing in the B1G. It’s hard to believe he fell that far…
Is it really that hard to write out Big 10 or Big Ten?
I agree with Garza being a worker. He’s an IQ big who can shoot and reb. He’s never worked on his athleticism and fitness. He’s doing that now. It’s good to go play in G-league. He can keep working on that. While playing against NBA talent.
His lateral movement has to get better. Needs to work out like a track star to get his legs right. He’s got enough skill to play. Just needs to move quicker. He can become a solid backup C. On offense he’s ok. It’s his D. It has to be at least decent. Gasol has never been a quick guy. But he knows where to be. And uses his size to play the paint.
Garza has to work on his lateral movement and quickness. It’s all about getting his legs better. I’d bet on him. He’s got the right attitude. And a lot to prove. It’s a good signing.
It’s going to all be based on the speed of the game for Garza. He is simply just not quick and his exposure as a result is high. He was great in college because Iowa played to his strengths and did everything possible to cover up his weaknesses.
My hope is he can play in the GL work on his footwork and defensive positioning. He will give his all though and that needs to be his calling card. They have called him Laimbeer 2.0 but old Bill was a mean SOB who covered his lack of athleticism with bad acting and relentless pestering on defense and that dude attacked the boards.