According to Stadium’s Shams Charania, the Minnesota Timberwolves have signed former Iowa center Luka Garza to a two-way deal following a strong showing in the preseason.
Garza averaged 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting just over 61 percent from the floor and 66 percent on three-point attempts in four games this preseason.
However, the 23-year-old may have cemented his roster spot on Wednesday night, when he scored 15 points with four rebounds and a steal in 12 minutes in a 118-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
After the game, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch called Garza a perfect fit for their system, commending his ability to stretch the floor and score around the basket.
Finch on Luka Garza: "He's the perfect system fit for us. Great acquisition by our front office. He's a guy I think can really grow into our system here. He can stretch the floor and he can score around the basket. That's a great combo. Not a lot of bigs can do that."
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 13, 2022
Timberwolves fans will be familiar with Garza after his time with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was a consensus pick for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award, averaging 24.1 points and 8.7 rebounds during the 2020-21 season, and was a second-round pick (52nd overall) by the Detroit Pistons in the 2021 NBA Draft.
With Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid at the center position, it’s likely Garza will spend most of his time with the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League, but his skill set adds some depth and another intriguing prospect to the Timberwolves’ organization.
