It looks like Troy Weaver and the Detroit Pistons might have found something special in Luka Garza.
The college player of the year wasn’t drafted until near the end of the second round, but showed improved foot speed and fitness in Summer League to go along with an offensive bag that is already well developed.
After the Pistons traded Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor, we wondered which player would get the final available roster spot and it now looks like that player will be Luka Garza according to several reports.
Teams monitoring rosters ahead of training camp expect Detroit to convert Luka Garza’s two-way deal to a standard contract prior to the season. The move would open a 2-way spot for Pistons. Garza, the No. 52 pick in ‘21 draft, averaged 15 pts & 9.6 rebs per game in Summer League.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) September 15, 2021
Detroit Pistons: Luka Garza looks like a steal
The Detroit Pistons struck gold last season with their two-way contracts, using them on Saben Lee and Frank Jackson, who were both able to earn their way onto the full-time roster.
It now looks like Garza will be the next Piston to make his way from a two-way contract to a full-time deal.
This makes sense, as the Pistons only have two centers after trading Okafor, and Garza was a safe bet to overtake Jahlil on the depth chart anyway, as he has a more versatile game and can shoot from range, which is something the Pistons desperately need.
Garza will not only get some run behind Isaiah Stewart and Kelly Olynyk at center, but could also play with either of them, as Olynyk and Beef Stew can both play the power forward position as well.
This could potentially allow the Pistons to run groups out with 3-4 shooters around Cade Cunningham, which might be the best way to take advantage of his skillset.
I’m sure we will see lineups of Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Jerami Grant, Kelly Olynyk and Luka Garza, which would not only be huge and versatile defensively, but would have plenty of shooting around Cunningham.
Dwane Casey is going to have a lot of options this season, and Luka Garza looks like another draft find for Troy Weaver, who is proving himself to be one of the best in the NBA at finding talent later in the draft.