The Boston Celtics are signing 26-year-old center Luka Garza to a $5.5 million deal during 2025 NBA free agency to replace Luke Kornet, who just left for San Antonio. With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the season due to a torn Achilles and new ownership cutting costs, Boston has traded two starters and is now filling roster spots with budget-friendly options.
After reaching the Conference Finals and NBA Finals consistently over the past five years, the Celtics are moving toward what appears to be a rebuild for the 2025-26 season. The new ownership group appears reluctant to spend heavily on the roster with their star player injured.
Two starters, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, had already been traded before the Celtics allowed their backup center, Kornet, to leave in free agency. Instead, they are bringing in a different big man on a cheaper contract to fill the center position.
Celtics Replace Luke Kornet With Minnesota’s Luka Garza
Luke Kornet entered the NBA with one of the most accomplished college resumes. He set the record for most 3-pointers by a 7’0″ player, making 150 triples during his career while blocking 210 shots as a member of the SEC’s Vanderbilt Commodores.
However, after spending five years in college, he went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft before signing with the New York Knicks as an undrafted free agent. He worked his way up from a two-way contract to earn a spot in the rotation.
His tenure in New York did not last long. From there, he moved through the league with stints on the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks before finding a home with the Boston Celtics in 2022.
Enjoy 26 minutes of barking and buckets from Luke Kornet ☘️ pic.twitter.com/lEO8eY17PR
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 27, 2025
During his two-and-a-half seasons in Boston, Kornet had the most productive stretch of his career, becoming a regular rotation player on the 2024 NBA Champions. Last season, he averaged 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 66.8% from the field in 18.6 minutes per game.
His strong performance caught the attention of other teams, and the San Antonio Spurs agreed to a four-year contract worth $41 million with the big man.
Free agent center Luke Kornet has agreed to a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell ESPN. Key frontcourt addition for the Spurs, who negotiated a contract tonight with Kornet’s agent Max Wiepking of Gersh Sports. pic.twitter.com/cLnXxWJ2cv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
As the Celtics pursued cost-cutting measures, they chose not to match or exceed San Antonio’s offer for Kornet.
Garza Brings Size and Potential to Boston’s Frontcourt
Instead, Boston turned to Luka Garza of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The second-round pick from 2021 has regularly split time between the NBA and G League throughout his professional career. Over his three seasons with the Timberwolves, Garza has not appeared in more than 39 games in a single season.
Here’s some Luka Garza highlights.
From Luke ➡️to Luka pic.twitter.com/E1nLvUWTKT— Boston_Die_Hard (@NbaSwingPass) July 1, 2025
That 39-game mark represented a career high last year, when he averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.6 minutes per game. Despite the limited playing time, Boston saw potential in him as a backup or third-string center and offered him a two-year deal worth $5.5 million.
The signing addresses Boston’s need for frontcourt depth while maintaining financial flexibility during their transition period. Garza’s contract represents significant savings compared to what Kornet received from San Antonio, aligning with the organization’s current budget-conscious approach.
ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news on X, reporting: “Free agent center Luka Garza has agreed to a two-year, $5.5 million fully guaranteed deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN. The Celtics negotiated the new deal with Garza’s representatives, Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of @PrioritySports tonight.”
As Boston prepares for a reset in 2025-26, Garza provides an affordable option to fill minutes in the rotation while the franchise navigates this transitional period.
The move reflects the team’s shift toward developing younger, less expensive talent as they rebuild around their core players when healthy.
