With their first move since free agency opened Sunday afternoon, the Timberwolves are bringing back center Luka Garza on a two-year deal.
Garza spent the past two seasons with the Wolves mostly on a two-way contract. But late last season when the Wolves had an open roster slot, they bumped Garza up to an NBA contract and ripped up the two-way deal. Garza will make the minimum salary on his new deal, which is just over $2.1 million for next season.
Even though the Wolves have a wealth of centers in Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, they have always liked Garza's work ethic and offensive skill.
Garza was with the Pistons before coming to Minnesota and has played in 85 NBA games, 53 of those with the Wolves. He has averaged 5.5 points per game for his career. Garza primarily sees the floor in mop-up duty, but there have been times over the past two seasons the Wolves have needed him to play big minutes in regular-season games because of injuries to other centers.
In March, Garza played in some games when both Gobert and Towns were hurt. Then for a home game against Denver when Reid also was out, Garza played 22 minutes and had 11 points in a 115-112 loss to the Nuggets at home.
Both Reid and Gobert have player options on their deals after this season, so signing Garza for two years could provide depth at the position should either or both of them not be on the team a year from now.
As for the rest of free agency, the Wolves still have their own free agents on the market in Kyle Anderson, Monte Morris and Jordan McLaughlin, but they are preparing to move on without Anderson, who is likely to command too much money in free agency for a team that is already deep into the luxury tax next season.
