The Detroit Pistons are hoping they have found a steal at the back end of the NBA Draft in center Luka Garza.
The Pistons will be one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and it’s difficult to predict the trajectory of young players, especially rookies.
We’ve seen Summer League legends disappear when the games got real, but the Pistons are excited about what they’ve seen from Garza so far and he is the frontrunner to claim their final roster spot after signing a two-way contract this offseason.
Garza was the national player of the year in college, but scouts doubted his athleticism and foot speed even though he clearly has a ton of skill.
I was one of those doubters and thought Garza was a prospect to avoid, but after watching him this offseason, I wouldn’t bet against him making the roster and an impact.
Detroit Pistons: Luka Garza is set up to succeed
The Detroit Pistons don’t have a third center on the roster at the moment, so unless they envision a guy like Trey Lyles getting some minutes there in small-ball lineups, Garza will likely be the guy.
He adds another big shooter to the roster to go along with Kelly Olynyk, but unlike Olynyk, Garza isn’t afraid to mix it up on the inside as well.
Garza has been putting in the work, has gotten himself into much better shape and looks noticeably slimmer and quicker since being drafted.
But can the Detroit Pistons really count on him to make an impact in his rookie season? If so, what might that look like? Here are the best and worst-case scenarios for Luka Garza.