Report: Luka Garza re-signing on two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Luka Garza will reportedly be returning to Minnesota following the latest between the two sides in free agency.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Garza and the Timberwolves are set on a two-year deal for him to return to the franchise. This comes after he had joined their organization for the last two seasons.

Garza has spent his three seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota. The Pistons selected him with the 52nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and he spent his one season there going from a two-way contract to a regular deal. The Wolves then signed him the next year where has made the same jump from a two-way to a standard contract.

In 85 professional outings, Garza has averaged 5.5 points and 2.3 rebounds on 48.8% shooting. He’s coming off a season with the Timberwolves where he played less than five minutes in 25 games and posted just four points and 1.2 rebounds.

Garza reached the next level after dominating the collegiate ranks at Iowa. Over his four seasons with the Hawkeyes, he posted 18.2 points and 7.3 rebounds on 54.6% shooting.

As an upperclassman, though, is where Garza truly made his name. Those two seasons saw him put up 24 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on 54.8% from the field and 39.9% from three. That made him a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Big Ten, and Consensus First Team All-American. As a senior, he was also AP Player of the Year as he also won both The Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award.

Garza has continued to earn pro opportunities after a big-time college career. That will now continue for a pair of more seasons in Minneapolis with the Timberwolves.

Kendrick Perkins tabs Timberwolves as NBA Draft biggest winner with Rob Dillingham

Former Kentucky G Rob Dillingham heard his name called early on in the 2024 NBA Draft. Dillingham was selected with the No. 8 overall pick by the Spurs and was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins loves the landing spot for Dillingham and believes the Timberwolves were the winners of the first round because of him.

He spoke about the selection during NBA Today on Thursday.

“I think Minnesota, with the kid Rob? You know, best isolation player in college last year. He’s a walking bucket,” Perkins said. “I think Minnesota needs that. We saw in the postseason when they were playing against the Dallas Mavericks. Anthony Edwards needed someone to go get a bucket. No knock on Mike Conley or (Nickeil) Alexander-Walker but you need somebody that’s a go-getter.”

“Being there with Anthony Edwards, the mentality he brings, the hard work that he brings? This kid just flat out got it,” Perkins said. “Jamal Crawford said something a few days ago. He said this kid already is going to have Top-10 handles in the NBA. That’s how phenomenal of a talent he is with the ball in his hands.”