When the Detroit Pistons drafted Luka Garza with the 52nd pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, they thought they might have gotten a steal.
Garza was coming off an epic college career, so even though scouts saw a guy who lacked the athleticism to play in the NBA, he had skills Detroit thought they could eventually develop, specifically the ability to step out and hit the 3-point shot.
Garza worked hard and did all of the right things, but he was unable to crack the rotation of a team that won 23 games. The Pistons didn’t exercise his team option, and it looked like Garza’s career might be over before it even started.
But to his credit, Garza continued to battle and got picked up by the Timberwolves, though he didn’t get much more run with them, appearing in just 92 games in three seasons and spending some time in the G-League.
That’s why it was somewhat surprising to see Garza sign a two-year deal with the Celtics this summer, further proof that Boston is taking a gap year with Jayson Tatum out next season.
Garza is now part of what can only be called the worst frontcourt in the league, flanked by Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman. Garza is currently listed as the starting center for a team that won a title two seasons ago, which is quite a wild 180 for the Celtics, who are on the verge of losing their 4th rotation player this summer.
I’m happy for Garza, as he seems like a nice guy who has an exuberant father that Pistons Twitter adopted. It's possible the Celtics will sign someone else, but as of right now, Garza at least has a shot at rotation minutes.
You wouldn’t expect a guy drafted that late in the second round to be an impact player, but it’s been a minute since the Detroit Pistons hit on a pick in the second round.
Detroit Pistons draft history: The 2nd-round desert
For all of the talk of Troy Weaver as this genius talent evaluator, he never hit on a second-round pick in his tenure with the Pistons, unless you count Garza, a guy who just stumbled into a role for a team that might not be trying to win next season.
The Pistons are hoping this changes with Bobi Klintman and Chaz Lanier, who should both at least get a chance to crack the rotation at some point next season.
You’d have to go all the way back to Bruce Brown in 2018 to find a Pistons’ 2nd-round pick that became an NBA regular.
Prior to that, the Pistons hit on guys in the 2nd round with players like Khris Middleton and Spencer Dinwiddie, but it’s been a rare occurrence since.
Good luck to Luka Garza and let’s hope he’s not the only Pistons’ second-round pick who sees impact action next season.