LIVE Garden Report: Wolves Insider on What Luka Garza and Josh Minott Bring to Celtics

LIVE Garden Report: Wolves Insider on What Luka Garza and Josh Minott Bring to Celtics

Hard hat’s all about showing up to play hard, doing what it takes to win. If you want to cement legacy, win another. He’s your third center. You don’t want to pump him up too much, but it’s hard not to. This is maybe the most I’ve ever agreed with you. I think I’ve I’ve had just so many great mentors, so many great vets, you know, you know, guys like even Kelly Olen, who played here, was someone was uh very important in in my growth. And obviously guys like Cat and Rudy and and Nas and you know there’s so many stories Nquille guys that I saw you know especially Nquille and Nas they just gave me a blueprint that I saw in front of me you know when when Nas was with me when I first got there and we just done the read trade the first couple of games of the year he was sitting right next to me getting DM DMPS and you know obviously everyone knows what what happened after that and uh you know that’ll never happen to him again and that’s my goal um is to put myself in that position um and the same thing with Aquille you know when he got to us you know who who knows what his future who was in the league, but he took advantage of the opportunities that were there and, you know, obviously just got paid this summer. So, I I’ve seen the blueprint and I’ve been around so many amazing guys, coaches, staff, all of that. So, it’s kind of just using all those examples and and to to fuel me and to to learn from them. Hey, Bay Manning here. Welcome to a Friday edition of the Garn Report. That was Luca Garza couple weeks ago when we talked to him at one of the Celtics community events. Noah Delozelle is here and from the athletic John Kruzinski who covered Garza covered Josh Min the two newest Celtics this off season and both of them could have significant roles with this team John after mostly sitting on the bench in Minnesota and I know that’s what they were both excited to explore this off season and it’s funny that they both found it on the same team. Yeah, it’s really cool situation. I I actually met up with both of them in Vegas um after they landed in Boston and they were kind of hanging out together. They were watching games. They were walking around the city together and and so um it’s neat to see both of them uh land on the same team and and have a little familiarity with each other to be with. They both have kind of similar stories in that they are both really talented dudes uh that just were on a very good team and stuck behind more talented dudes and and so I do think that you they’re both looking forward to having an opportunity to actually get some regular playing time and and show what they can do. And I I think I’m going to be really interested to watch how that all unfolds and and and what is in store for them because I like both of them as people and I think they are both good players who just need the right situation to be able to show what they can contribute. Where you at on them now we’ve had a couple months to think about where they could fit in with this team. Yeah, I’m excited. It’s so hard to evaluate all these players that have never played for the Celtics against one another. Um because they have all been in different situations. They all have pretty limited oncord minutes. Um but I think I would lean just from from having watched them both kind of going back and looking at them their time in Minnesota. I think I could see Josh playing more of a role in Boston than Luca. Um, but I’m curious, John, as someone who has seen them play both in in spurts, is there one guy that you think whose ceiling is like a little bit more I don’t I don’t want to say one of them doesn’t have a ceiling, but like is there a guy that you think has a more promising potential future in the NBA if it pans out? Yeah, I mean I think they’re different when you look at them in terms of obviously different positions, but also I think one thing we know of the two of them, one of them has an NBA level skill set and that’s Luca Garza’s scoring. Like he is a very creative scorer, a great shooter. And so a lot of times the end of the bench guys or or you know just guys who are trying to crack the rotation, you what is one skill that you have that’s going to get you on it? Is it your perimeter defense? Is it your rim protection? Is it your passing? Is it uh is it three-point shooting? Is it is it scoring at the rim? What is it? And Luca Garza is just a scorer. So, uh, he can I I I have no doubts about his ability if he’s able to play consistent minutes that he’ll score double digit points and um and and and give them something that way. Josh Minard is different in that I think he’s more of a kind of like a ball of clay that needs to be molded, but his ceiling may be a little bit higher. He’s ultra athletic. He’s really long. Um, but we haven’t seen him get any kind of consistent time to really showcase, you know, what is one or two things that he can do that can really just help a team immediately and and earn himself a role. But, uh, you know, he got a few short runs here in Minnesota and and I was always really intrigued because he in some ways is kind of the prototypical player um for for this day and age of, you know, able to guard multiple positions. Uh, can get out and run. Uh, he actually shot it better than I thought he was going to last year. And so there’s like that’s intriguing to me that if he’s put in the right system, if he’s surrounded with the right people and and given a role, maybe, you know, maybe he can tap into more than what he’s been able to show. Whereas Luca, I know kind of what he is and I know that he can he can help at, you know, as a scorer where he has some limitations defensively and a few other things to go through. So, um, Minot might have just like a little bit more untapped potential, I would say, whereas Luca is a little more proven in that one area. And then it’s about sort of making sure that you put him with the right lineups that help cover up some of the weaknesses that he has. And I was so excited about Garza coming over here because if you watch college when he was in Iowa, I mean, this was one of the best guys in college, period. And that doesn’t always translate. There’s all kinds of guys who have been national player of the year contenders and these great college players who just don’t have the skill set for the NBA. And you imagine that was going to be the case with him. But you see the way he’s leaned into his three. I think his body transformation has been pretty significant too. Like just seeing him at summer league as you mentioned there. He’s skinnier. He’s definitely shed um some pounds and has put himself in position to move better. And that’s still the big question with him is whether he can, you know, defend quicker players, where he fits in an NBA defense. They have a hole at center and they need to figure out what they’re going to do with that spot after losing three key guys this off season. And that’s what I think makes him uh more interesting in particular because you almost know with some certainty that he’s going to get a chance here. And he was in Detroit, didn’t get a ton of a chance. Minnesota as you mentioned there’s not a ton of opportunity there but in the little pockets where he’d play some and the chances end of games wherever he got the opportunity to get in for the Timberwolves. What did you see from him? What was the kind of growth you you you know oversaw from him when he was getting those chances? Yeah, I mean you mentioned it first of all like just the body transformation. He and Nazreed both kind of as they came in they had a little bit more weight on them and you were just wondering exactly how they fit. But both of them have you just really leaned out and and and changed their their body composition. And that’s a credit to Luca. He’s an unbelievable worker like one of the hardest workers on the team. And so he’s he kind of tried, I think, to do that to maybe give himself a chance to play a little for if if if need be. I I still think that’s it is a real challenge defensively for him, but um it he’s an incredibly enjoyable player to watch because he has more of that throwback. Oh, did we lose him? and and so um you know he’s really crafty around the rim because he’s not going to just ri raise up and dunk on you. Um but he he needs to use angles, he uses pump fakes. Um he needs to use a little bit of deception to get his shots off and he does a really good job at it. Um he he really knows and he’s smart and he’s understands where he needs to get his shots and and and how he can be effective that way. Uh it was not uncommon when the Wolves had an injury to Rudy Gobear or Nasreed or you know Julius Randall that you know Luca would come in you know for for an odd game here or there and he’d put up 12 14 points and he’d give them a boost offensively in you know in ways that really helped them. And so I think it will be, you know, on Joe Mazula and the staff to kind of figure out ways to make him a to allow him to be offensively aggressive while also having enough people around him that can help defensively so you don’t really get um kind of gashed at that end of the floor. But uh but he can go in and score uh you know very efficiently, very effectively. And he is such a hard worker that I mean the fans he was a fan favorite here. Fans will love him when you just see kind of the sweat that’s pouring off of him and and and how hard he wants it and how hard he goes after it. But uh multiple three-level score, great shooter, really crafty around the rim, can get to the line, knock down shots there. And so, um, all in all, from that aspect of things, he, uh, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I really, I really do want to see how he does in Boston because there are minutes available here, like he’s just like in, you know, was part of the deepest front court rotation in the league probably with with Julius and Nas and um, and uh, Rudy and then and then with Cat before that. So, there just was not opportunity for him. And so for him to get out there, you know, he’ll put up some points for sure and then it’s just about mitigating the defensive issues. What do you think his role is going to be, Noah? I mean, like John said, this is as good as an opportunity as any because who do we have now? You know, Nishada, Chris Bush, and him. Like that’s really the three centers. I mean, maybe Xavier Tilman. We’ll see kind of what they can get from him this season. Um, so I feel like if you’re a front court player on the Celtics, like it’s you’re gonna get a shot at it. You’re gonna get a shot. he’s probably all of them are going to start some games. Like I don’t think that there’s going to be a guy who’s just completely buried from the jump that never gets a chance to crack through. So, it’s just going to come down to like who has the who actually kind of capitalizes on those opportunities. And honestly, like I think they’re going to want to see if this is somebody that can develop. Like they sign these guys to two-year contracts because I think they’re hoping that one of these guys can break through and be a part of the group long term. So, you know, is it going to be him? Is it going to be Josh? Like, I don’t, you know, I don’t think it’s going to be all of them, right? I think some of these guys are going to struggle, but the minutes are there. Um, the thing that I’m curious about is obviously in college, one of the things that he was known for is his three-point shooting. And looking at his numbers in the NBA, he’s like 31% for his career, but I would imagine small, you know, small sample size in the sense that he’s never really coming in with an opportunity to get a rhythm. Um, I’m curious what John, what do you make of those numbers? Like, do you feel like it’s they’re not super representative of his shooting skills? Has it been a challenge adapting to the NBA line and the NBA opportunities that you have on the floor? Like what’s what’s kind of that all about? Yeah, I mean I think I don’t think it’s a it’s a situation where he’s struggling with the the you know increased distance. I mean I I think he can really shoot it. I do think it’s more of a product of just inconsistent minutes. Like it’s really hard to find a rhythm as a shooter um when you’re playing five minutes here, 8 minutes here, 156 shots in his career. Yeah, exactly. So now what I will tell you like what we saw here is when he came in the shots went up like I mean there was you it was a little bit of a running joke like the first time you see Luca pass the ball uh you know let me know because like he he was a bit of a gunner in those times and I understood it like he wanted to come out and make a you know make a splash in the garbage time that he got or or whatever. But uh but in general, yes, I think that if if he is afforded the opportunity to play a consistent role and consistent minutes, it doesn’t need to be 30 minutes a night, but like if he just is in a role where he is playing every night and and knows when he’s coming in the game and knows when he’s coming out and knows where his shots are coming from and and and all of that, um I think he will be able to settle in and he’ll shoot a good percentage. Um, I do think there was so many times in these last couple of years where anytime he got on the court, he looked at it as I got to show what I what I can do here because I don’t know when the next chance is coming. And there’s a lot of pressure on that. And, you know, sometimes you’re you know, a lot of times he’s playing in blowout games and not everyone’s really locked in and and and so um yeah, I I just don’t see that small sample size as really representative of of who he is as a shooter. I do think that when given consistent minutes in a consistent role, you’ll see him high 30s, you know, probably somewhere you 37 or or higher and and knocking down that shot consistently and giving the Celtics some spacing on the floor and and and being versatile that way. And and this is one of this is one of the stronger things I feel going into camp, going into this preseason. I I want him being bombs away from three. And I I don’t think a lot of fans are going to feel that way because, you know, they get weary of the three and they especially with the Celtics, oh, it’s, you know, all threes and all that. I want him shooting a lot of threes for the reasons you said there, John, getting comfortable out there, building a rhythm. He’s good at it, I think. And so if he can actually put up a sizable number of attempts out there, I think you might actually see him float up to I don’t know whether it’s going to be 33, 34 where he’s going to live realistically if he can, you know, find some comfort out beyond the line. But I think that’s going to be his role here is pick and popping, taking open threes. I don’t think a lot of guys are going to be running out on his shots and if those are following for him, that’s going to put him in a great position even with some of the weaknesses in his game. So, when they signed him, you tweeted out, and I want to ask you about this, um, that the Celtics have long been fans of Garza and that they’ve made inquiries with the Wolves before. I think that’s about as positive of a, you know, thing you can read if you’re a Celtics fan right now. The fact that the Celtics have liked this guy for a while, targeted him this off season, and are actually going to be able to play him, not just bring him in and have him sit on the bench and develop behind the scenes. What have you heard in terms of their interest in him going back? Because he’s a guy who’s gone from a two-way guy to a roster guy and has built his way up, you know, with Minnesota. Yeah, I think that that’s exactly it, Bobby, is that um you know, periodically through the last couple of years, uh Brad Stevens, you know, and and the Celtics front office would would check in around trade deadline time. um you know maybe occasionally in the summer, hey you know you want to part with Garza like what what would it take kind of things and I don’t I don’t think it ever got you know serious in terms of like really getting down to you know trying to make a deal. Um because the the Wolves really just did like him and valued having the depth there just in case they had injuries. But uh but this is a case of Garza has been on the Celtics radar for a while that they they did see some potential in him. Um and especially I think you know you both alluded to it in in the Celtics offense the way that they play. I mean you know uh they will never have to tell Garza to shoot. He will shoot. and but like they just they like to bomb away from three and and I think that um a big like him with the potential to shoot it from out there it you know is attractive to a lot of teams but certainly to Boston and the way that they want to play. So, um, there were several times, I was told, you know, throughout the the last couple of years where, you know, as as the Wolves were having discussions around the trade deadline with all sorts of teams that the Celtics would call in and and check in on Luca and just say, “Hey, is there anything to be done here?” That never nothing ever happened, but it does show and and Luca knew that as well um when when we spoke uh in Vegas too of just like, “Hey, you know, I I know that they really do value me.” And so I think that there is some optimism on his part that he is going to be afforded at least a real opportunity to earn minutes because there are people in the front office that have liked him for a long time and that makes a difference when you sign a deal like his and when you’re trying to just really break into kind of a rotation and and get settled in with something. And so, um, I think that’s a positive thing for for Luca and his his opportunity or his chances there. And for his sake, it’s a good thing that this deal didn’t happen earlier probably because last year would not have been you would not have seen many opportunities. I mean, Amia Teada who’s expected to start for the Celtics this season wasn’t even playing last year, right? Because you’re dealing with Al Morford, Luke Cornett, and Chris Porzingis. I mean, it’s not quite the Minnesota front court rotation, but it’s not far off as far as, you know, the opportunities you’re going to get there as the fourth big. So, I’m thinking like if he had if you know, if this move had happened a year or two ago, like he might have had the same opportunities that he had in Minnesota and now he gets a real chance. Um, and also just the amount of three-point shooting that the Celtics lost this off season, like they are going to have to change a little bit how they play, but they’re also going to have to find people to take those three-point attempts because they’re still going to get them up in some sense. and you lost Porzingis, you lost Drew Holiday, you know, you lost a lot of guys that were very reliable from there. So, I’m excited to see how it pans out. I think always the biggest question I think with any player is on the defensive end because that has been kind of their MO is that they don’t have bad defenders on the floor really ever. Um, like Sam Hower is the guy that teams always go at and he’s actually a pretty good individual defender. So, I’m curious about how they’re both going to hold up. And Josh, I’ve honestly heard such conflicting reports about how good his defense is. Like I even talked to some Minnesota reporters that were like he’s a liability on the defensive end and some that were like he’s actually a really good defender. So where do you land on his defense? And I know again it’s been more limited samples. But is does he have the potential to be a good wing defender in the NBA? I mean I I there yeah the tools are there. Um he has quick feet. He has really long arms. like you know when you guys are around him you it will I think at least for me it was early on you know it was just like wow like this guy is a legit 69 like he’s all of that and and like his his arms really do stretch and he can block shots at the rim like and and I do think that he can also become a guy that does challenge people on the perimeter um and and that can make it hard the the the thing with Josh might not hear was always never really a um a a doubt about the physical tools that he has, but did does he have the understanding of scheme and the the discipline to and focus to adhere to responsibilities on that end of the floor. And that’s what would consistently get him, you know, kind of a quick hook from Chris Finch was that if he had game plan mistakes, you know, he would, you know, there was one game last year where um, you know, Chris Finch put him into the game and um, you he gave up a back door cut for for a for an easy bucket and and Finch took him out right away. And and so um when you watch him in when he plays well, when he has it going, uh he does look like a real NBA player like because he he can shoot it from the perimeter. It’s a funky shot, but like uh the corner threes were actually okay sometimes uh when he was playing consistently. Uh he can run like the wind. He can get out in transition. He can get up and finish at the at the rim. Um, and so he has a lot of that. But, uh, I do think that there was a a frustration or not frustration, but just kind of the reason that he didn’t get more playing time in addition to being behind really talented guys is that the Wolves did not see the focus from him and the paying attention to details, you know, in game plans and things that they wanted to see. And so, uh, Finch kind of really stuck with more of the veteran players and a few of the young guys that that he thought he could really count on to execute what he wanted out there and and and might not never really earn that trust from the coaching staff. Yeah. And I think that’s a key point here, and Brad Stevens brought it up in bringing these guys in, is that they’re coming from a good team, a well coached team, a system. Like, these weren’t guys who were just playing minutes on a team that didn’t have much direction. This is an organization that’s been in the conference finals. Uh has built one of the better defenses in the league over the last couple years there. And I am curious what kind of environment system these guys were coming up in like what were the things they were working on with these players? How does this team play defense? Like what what uh what are these guys coming from in terms of a system? And you know, I’m interested to hear how that compares to what they might be stepping in with the Celtics. Yeah, I mean it will be interesting because I I believe, you know, I’m, you know, I’m not uh Zach Low here and going to break down all the X’s and O’s that way, but like I the way the Wolves play defense with Rudy Gobear is unique um compared to what a lot of defensive systems are in the league nowadays. I mean, Rudy is a drop coverage big and he also um you just covers up so many holes on the defensive end almost all by himself that it’s it’s sort of an anomaly the way that that the Wolves would approach it. And they did have some issues. One of the things that gave them uh struggles and really has over the last couple of years is that they want to play defense one way with Rudy, but then if they go to Nas Reed at center, they kind of have to play a different way because Nas is not clear anywhere close to what Rudy is as a defensive player and that’s not where he um excels. And and same with Carl Anthony Towns when he was here, they kind of tried to toggle between systems where you know the way that you guard the pick and roll was different with Rudy versus Kat or Nas and and and so many different things. And so um now when when both Luca and Mot go to Boston where they do not have that go bear style guy in the middle to play off of. it seems like they’ll play more off of what Derrick White does, what Jaylen Brown does, like and and and kind of funnel things in a different way. And so, um, how that kind of affects what the two of them are going to be capable of doing is going to be interesting to me. I think that, um, you know, they’re both going to a system that, uh, has a real identity as a B, you know, Boston Celtics basketball and and I think they’re going to have to adhere to that. May not may not will have plenty of stretches of games where you look at you go, “Wow, that’s really impressive what he just did on both ends of the floor.” And then he will have he had in the past at least he had, you know, mental errors or mistakes that caused him to get a little bit into the doghouse with the coaching staff here. So, if he can kind of continue his maturity and he’s still really young and and and and be more disciplined and be have a better understanding of what is being asked of him to execute, I think that he can absolutely be a player that contributes on a regular basis to the Celtics and is in the rotation. And the same with Garza. Garza will definitely give you everything that he has from a game plan specific standpoint, understanding what he’s supposed to do. It’s just you’re going to have to help him do things that he can’t do. Um and and so that sometimes is a little bit easier to game plan around than the player who is out there where you just don’t know if if he’s going to be on task the whole way or not. And for my not Noah, I I I’m trying to think through what his role the Garza thing’s easy, right? He’s probably going to be in the mix at center with Kada and Tilman and these other guys. with Minot. Like when they first signed him and Buché wasn’t here, I’m like, “Okay, maybe he can play some small ball five. He’ll probably play mostly wing minutes, but I didn’t have a great picture of where he’s going to fit in.” Now that Buchchet is here, I even less have an easy time imagining where it’s going to be. Like I guess if they’re starting Hower, some backup wing minutes. Um if not, is he in like that Shyman Walsh mix there? cuz they do have they don’t have a lot of surefired wings, but they do have a lot of wings who need minutes here. And so how Walsh, Shireman, Hower, that whole thing’s going to shake out, I think, is another interesting question going into camp. Noah. Yeah. Yeah, and I’m curious like how he compares to somebody like Jordan Walsh, who I would say also has the physical tools to be a great defender, but has sometimes, you know, looked like a young guy out there um and and made mistakes and not necessarily had the same level of discipline than some of the older players have had on the floor. So, the way I’m viewing the the wing battle is there’s a bunch of guys and there is probably one rotation spot that is going to be filled and Hower is for sure going to be in the mix. obviously, you know, either he’s going to be starting or he’s going to be one of the first guys off the bench, but then between Baylor, Josh, and Jordan, like I think it’ll kind of depend on who finds their way within this new system that they’re going to have next year. So, that’s the category that I’ve had him in. Um, I don’t know, maybe, you know, a couple guys can go down like I keep thinking like Mimi might sprain his ankle on opening night and now it’s like every, you know, you you don’t have a lot of depth in the front court. So guys might have to play a lot out of position just because they don’t have the same luxury there that I think they have at the wing position still. Um that’s still probably, you know, even without Tatum, that’s still probably their deepest position. Um so we’ll see kind of how that shakes out, but I think there’s definitely a clear pathway to minutes right now for Luca. Um and there’s just going to be a little bit of a training camp slash, you know, year-long battle, I think, for those backup wing minutes. Yeah. Yeah. And it it wouldn’t surprise me guys like I mean if if Missoula wants to go small ball I mean May not could play some small four. I I really believe that. So like it it depends on the lineups that you’re with. But and he can block shots a little bit can side like that’s something they need. Yep. Absolutely. He can be very and he is like he is also a he has a nose for the ball from a rebounding perspective. like he can he can go up and get it and and so he uses his length very well. Um and and so I I think from just that physical tool standpoint, you know, I I’m I’m not incredibly familiar with Jordan and I know what Shyman is, but um but Minot has all of the the physical stuff to work with and so it’s a matter of putting it all together. But yeah, he could play some four, I think, and and some three and and and be out on the wing as well and and give you someone who can throw different looks uh at at at different teams. All right, want to take a quick break here to let the people know about prize picks. And it is a great time of the week to get into the action over on prize picks. And listen, we all play fantasy football. 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I want to give a quick shout out to Game Time as well if you’re thinking about buying tickets to basketball games this summer. Baseball playoffs coming up. Uh you also got the WNBA playoffs going on as well. A lot of good stuff heading on over there. But the big thing right now, NFL games, uh Patriots playing the Steelers this weekend down at Foxboro. If you want tickets, head over there. Use the code ste for $20 off. Terms apply. with your first purchase over there. Um, go show them some love to show us some love here as we head into our coverage season big time for us with game time. So, if you go support them, you’re supporting us here on the Garn Report. Love the app. Love the experience over there if you’re thinking about buying tickets. So, I want to ask you, John, we’ve been asking a lot of people around the league this and you get so many mixed reactions and I’m sure you maybe heard some things from people, you know, just talking about the different teams this summer. Where are you at on the Celtics? Like some people think this team’s going to tank. Some people think this team’s going to take a huge step back. Others, Noah, think they’re going to be better than people expect. What do you picture from them without Tatum and, you know, with all the losses this off season, some of the new faces that are going to be taking over here? Yeah, you know, I mean, I I look at it as a team certainly like in a transition year and like pro, you know, one that is not going to be considered right away a a you know, championship contender like they have been so often um in in recent vintages, but I also am one that kind of, you know, I’ve covered this league for a long time. And so any teams that have real identity, that have, you know, kind of a real kind of backbone about them, I I always am optimistic about them when they go through changes or have major injuries of at least being able to weather the storm. I can’t imagine that at the end of this season, unless, you know, they have some other major injuries at the start of this year, that we’re going to be looking at the Celtics and looking at them. Well, they’re just tanking for, you know, AJ Debansa or whatever the the pick is coming out next year. Um I I think that especially in the Eastern Conference, they’re going to be a team that um you a lot of times you see that when they when a team loses a major player and then even, you know, some some other pieces, the the the the parts really rally to try and show and prove something. And I think that Jaylen Brown’s going to have something to prove. I think that um you know Garza May not guys like that that are coming in Buché that are coming in they they are going to be motivated to play and they generally will probably play harder than a lot of teams in the regular season night to night and that can go a long way. So um I would imagine that they’re going to be you know relevant in the Eastern Conference. You know will they be a top four seed? I don’t I don’t think so. But um but anything after that I think is up for grabs. like who do you like in the East that’s going to be just major you know uh impediments to them from like you know seeds six through nine. Um I I I just don’t know. So, I would lean on the Celtics infrastructure, their coaching, their their their competitiveness in general um to to say that it’s going to be enough to be some sort in the conversation maybe in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference um as we go forward here, you know, barring some kind of major injury. I think they can be in the playing mix, maybe even for maybe a six seed, something like that if if everything breaks right and the, you know, the additions that they had break right. I just I it’s it’s a vote of confidence in the Celtics and their infrastructure, but it’s also kind of a a reflection of what I think the East is, which is um not a whole lot to write home about. That’s exactly where I am. So, that’s probably on the more optimistic end of the spectrum, but I think every conversation I’ve had with somebody from the organization or a player this offseason, I leave that conversation being like, “Oh, they’re going to be good.” Because they’ve sounded so confident. So, I know that’s what they’re supposed to say. I know they’re professional athletes and they’re supposed to be, you know, almost unrealistically confident, but it has actually impacted my perception of their their abilities next season. So, I think they’re going to be that mixed, too, where they’re kind of fighting for a playoff spot, hoping to kind of stay out of the playin or in that range. I I think you put it a good way, John, that there’s just not a lot of separation in the East. So unless there’s injuries here, which could swing things either with other teams and the Celtics take advantage of that or the Celtics suffer some injuries and they drop off that, it’s going to be a big mix of teams. And I I’ve like imagine this five team sandwich in the middle of like the Bucks, Pacers, Heat, teams like that, Sixers if they’re dealing with the injuries and then you know guys in the lineup where it’s just going to be and you’ve experienced to some degree with the Wolves just because of how good the West is being a game out of the three seed but also a game out of the playing tournament for pretty much the whole stretch of the schedule there. And that’s going to make every game exciting cuz you don’t know against any given team any given night whether they’re going to win or not. And every game is going to matter that much more when the standings are that tight. Yeah. I think and and I think Celtics fans I would imagine are going to go into this season with a kind of a cool new perspective. I do think like you saw as this sort of um long stretch of success was going on for the Celtics recently and e even in in parts of last year you were hearing a lot of man the regular season doesn’t matter and um you know let’s just get to the playoffs and there’s a malaise that kind of sets in with just really consistent winning like the Celtics have enjoyed and So now this team goes into this season as underdogs a with a lot of questions that need to be answered and I think with real stakes for the regular season because if you do think you’re going to be maybe in that playin mix maybe towards the bottom part of the Eastern Conference play like every game does matter. you have to, you know, really compete and and I think there’s going to be a lot more for fans to learn night in and night out about this team, about these new players, about how everyone fits, as opposed to, you know, so many of the last three or four years where it’s just like, well, yeah, we we know what we got with Tatum and Brown and White and and Porzingis and everyone. We’ll be there in the end. So, like, what what does this all really matter now? This is going to be, I think, a a little bit refreshing even if there’s going to be more losses that come with it. It’s going to be a different kind of energy for the season, which is that’s that’s fun. You got any last questions here, Noah, before we let John go? No. Uh, actually, I guess I’m just curious, what do you think about Minnesota’s upcoming season? Where do you where do you pen them? Yeah, actually, I’m I’m pretty bullish on them because I think that everyone that I’ve talked to over the years says it takes a full year to learn how to play with Rudy Gobear. and um you know and and so I think that you know having a trade where Dante Dementenzo and Randall come in right before the training camp opens uh it it it it takes a long time to figure things out and they’ve they’re pretty much the same roster outside of Nquille Alexander Walker um coming back and so I think that continuity is actually going to help them and and so I I expect them to be in the 50 win territory low 50s and and kind of competing for a top four seed in the Western Conference and then and then see what happens. The West is really really competitive, but um but I also think there’s a lot of parody in it. So, I think it could go either way if they stay healthy. Um I like their chances of of of having a really good year and and another, you know, trying deep playoff run. And it’s so crazy to think about how late that trade was in the offse year two days before training camp opened. It was unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah. And so that was just such a drastic change for that organization and the whole way they play and you know swapping one star for another and all things considered it started rocky but it finished strong and I think when you’re talking about all these teams and this rising teams and falling teams out west. This is the one that’s been about as steady as as you can imagine in terms of the regular season success and then you know being there in the late stages of the playoffs and you know you can get excited about the Lakers and some of these other teams Nuggets loaded up but this team’s just rock solid and they just play that way and Edwards is going to keep getting better and I almost feel like they get overlooked to some degree because there’s just not a lot of turbulence there like they’ve just been pretty steady. Yeah. which is like the anti-wolves. I mean, forever and ever they were like a a revolving door at GM, at head coach, at players, and it was so inconsistent and now they really have settled in to a nice identity and and so um it it’s been interesting to watch. I think they’re really well coached. I think they have a great front office and now they have a really cool mix of you have veterans like Rudy Goar and Connley uh Mike Conley and and and Julius Randall but then you also have young guys like Anthony Edwards and Jane McDaniels and Nas Reed and and so it’s young it’s old it’s kind of in the middle and and I I think the pieces fit together fairly well and so um you know it’s it’s a team that knows who it is now and um and I think that’s going to really help things going into this Yeah, and I, you know, we started off the show with Garza talking about all those guys he learned from Nas Reed, Alexander Walker, guys who had a sit, guys who built in bigger roles. So that’s what they’ve done there in Minnesota. And like you said, it’s crazy to think that that’s a system and an organization that people look to at this point is a model of success, but that’s where they’re at. So we’re excited to follow your coverage of it. You’re one of the best guys around the league. So check it out at The Athletic. subscribe and go follow along with John Krosinski as he covers the Timberwolves this season. Training camp less than two weeks away. Thanks for stopping by, John. No, thanks for having me. I’m excited for you guys to get to know Luca and Josh um as people because Luca is incredibly thoughtful, really smart. Um and Josh is funny as hell. Josh is the funniest guy ever. I’m telling you, like he is so funny and he is a he will crack you up with some of the stuff that he says. He’s got just a bright bright personality. He’s really smart. They needed that. They lost a lot of personality this off season. He’s got all sorts of personalities. So, if he is able to get a role on this team, I think he’s going to become someone that everyone really enjoys. And so, um, both guys are really good dudes. I’m I’m, you know, I’ll be watching from afar, but I’m looking forward to to you guys all getting to know them because they’re they’re great. But, yeah, Josh is is hilarious. So hopefully he gets a chance to show that sense of humor. Yeah, they had all the new guys over at Fenway taking batting practice and he was the only one who could swing a bat. So I’ll give him that. Thanks, John. We’ll talk to you later in the year. Thanks so much. All right, thanks guys. All right, so we are less than two weeks away from media day. Noah, I want to start to think about some of the questions going into camp that are going to be most interesting here. And I think we already have a great one that we’ve been thinking about for a couple weeks now. And I’m looking forward to more than probably anything else on media day. And it’s finally meeting, seeing, hearing from Anthony Simons because they put out a video of him working with the coaching staff and talking about where he’s at. And it was this NBA feature that they did on him at the Celtics gym there. And that to me finally, even though it was heading in that direction, I think that for me was the confirmation that all right, Anthony Simons is going to be starting training camp with this team and being part of what they’re doing to begin this year. Yeah, I think that’s still the plan, you know, and obviously like as every day that passes, the guys that are on the current roster are more likely to be there on opening night. And so I do think that at a point in the offseason, it did seem like Anthony Simons was probably not going to, you know, be a part of the team’s future. But here we are now. It’s safe to assume that he’ll at least start the year with Boston, if not finish it. Um, and I’ve talked to people around the organization that are like super super excited uh to have him around. They’ve heard great things about him from his time in Portland. Um, and I think there’s a level of like he’s kind of flying under the radar right now as we’re projecting where this team’s going to land next year as you know, even just the fans discourse around who they have and Dererick’s going to have a big year and Jaylen’s gonna have a big year. like there’s a guy that’s a really kind of perennial 20 point per game scorer that has just not been, you know, and and I’m I’ve been part of the problem. Like we haven’t really been talking about it that much. So, he’s going to be a big a big storyline to follow. I think the other thing that I’m curious about is just how the team is talking about expectations for this year because that was on my list, too. Yeah. like we’ve we’re so used to everything being about a title and a championship expectations and going back to back or you know winning with this core and obviously it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be a championship team. Um but is how are they going to talk about it with the media with the public? Like I’m not sure. So uh that part is going to be interesting as well. Yeah, and there’s a couple different levels to that. I think the players and Garza talked about this I think at at summer league that there’s a refreshing lack of expectations here that you know people aren’t going to be expecting them to be very good. I think the way he put it was that they’ve been the hunted for so long and now they can be the hunter. And I do think there’s some truth to that that they’re going to be playing with zero pressure. Maybe some guys with real stakes like Pritchard if he’s trying to move into a starting role, Jaylen trying to carry this team, like those guys are going to have some pressure on them at the top because things are going to fall on them. But for other guys like Garza and others like it’s just going to be the freedom of being able to play open, you know, and that’s something Kada talked about too, you know, when I asked him if you know what his message from Joe has been for him and it’s just to play freely. And I like that. I hope that’s actually how Joe coaches this year is to let guys play through some mistakes, let them develop, trust guys. Like I think that’s going to be crucial this year is that they just roll with things and try to make them better as the year goes on. Cuz to me, and I don’t know how you feel about this, Noah, I feel like they’re probably going to struggle a little bit early on. I I like guys stepping into new roles. The schedule looks tough early on as we’ve talked about to to me. life without Tatum. Like, he’s just been there for so long every single night. I think that’s going to be shocking to deal with early on. So, I don’t see them getting off to a hot start. I do see them settling in and stabilizing as the year goes on, but I do think it’s going to be challenging early on. Yeah, for sure. And, you know, you’re just you’re going to have to figure out a new play play style. I think we’re going to see them cut a lot more. Um, that’s another thing we’re interested to hear about. And I do sense that they’re going to change things up. Yeah, I mean it inevitably because they have different personnel. Like I think that’s the part that we we’ve kind of always underrated about why do they shoot a lot of threes? Like is Joe Mazula just obsessed with threes or is he obsessed with maximizing the personnel on his roster? And and right now there’s just not going to be that same amount of high volume three-point shooters. And so there’s still some You think there’ll be less threes? I think there will be a little bit less threes. Yeah. um not so they’re not going to all of a sudden be near the bottom of the league in that category because I think the numbers are still the numbers but yeah you you lost out on a bunch of guys that were like Tatum was a high high volume three-point shooter you know Porzingis Drew Holiday both elite from beyond the arc so you inevitably have to figure out where are you going to get those shots and I think you’re going to see Derek pro Derrick and Peyton are probably once again gonna one of them is going to set the mark for most threes in a season this year because they are both in the comp in the you know in the mix for that last year and who finished with a Derrick finished with the most threes ever in a season, right? So, that’s going to happen again, but I think overall like you just you lost shooting across the roster. So, you’re going to have to find uh ways to play differently. I don’t know how open they’re going to be about that because we know Joe Bul likes to keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to basketball conversations, but I’m sure it will be alluded to that stylistically some things are going to change as well. Yeah, I think that’s almost certain. I think he’s talked about in the past how they’ve adjusted to personnel that they’ve had. So, I think that’s how he’s going to react to that question, which is almost certainly going to come up. I think the threes will be a question. Um, the personnel that they have. Now, the other thing that I almost think it’s right in front of us, so I don’t think it pops as that big of a story, but it maybe is the biggest story of media day at the very least is we’re going to talk to Jason Tatum for the first time since the injury. And he’s making for sure. I’m almost certain he’ll talk on media day. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t. I think that’s when you hear from him and then he goes back to the training room and then we don’t see him for months. So, I’m almost certain we’re going to hear from Tatum on media day and we know how he talks. I don’t think we’re going to learn a ton. I don’t think he’s going to forecast a return or not this season. I think he’s just going to say it’s day by day and you know things have been good so far and blah blah blah blah blah. So, I don’t think we’ll have any surprises there, but I just want to hear from him what it’s been like, how it’s gone so far, where he’s at on playing or not this year. Maybe he will give at least a hint there. Like, he is a guy who loves to play. And I think if he comes out and says, “I’m working hard toward playing this year,” that’s going to be like, “Wo, cuz it’s going to be frustrating to some degree. Maybe you’ll enjoy it.” No way. I think it’s going to get annoying for me. The daily, oh, Tatum’s on the bike. Oh, Tat, he’s in the gym. He’s lifting a weight. Like, every single time we see Tatum this year, it’s going to be a viral video of him doing some mundane thing and being taken as a major sign of progress. It feels like he’s on great track right now, just based off everything we’ve seen and heard, but we’re still so far away from the point where he’s going to play. And I think you said it on your podcast, it’s pretty amazing that he’s walking around and climbing the stairs and doing all this stuff right now, but he can’t get on the court. There was some post, I forget who posted it of like Tatum’s on the court. He’s not doing anything on the court right now, and I don’t think he’s even close to that. But I just can’t wait to hear from him because we haven’t heard from him since that day at MSG in May. Yeah. Yeah. And honestly, like I I thought he was going to at some point this summer do a sit down like podcast with somebody that he has a close relationship with in the broader media space, but he hasn’t done that. So, we really haven’t heard from him. I think the NBA posted like a 90 like a 30 second social clip of him saying that it was really hard when he tore his Achilles and he’s, you know, kind of been pushing through it. Like, it was very, very limited. Um, and that’s the only time we’ve really heard him describe the injury on his terms. and obviously a big contrast from Tyrese Hallebertton who’s been really in the public eye this summer and has done lots of media and sitting courts ated games and everything. Um, so he’s a private guy. I’m not surprised that that’s the direction that he went. I honestly didn’t think he was going to speak on media day, so maybe that’s just naive of me, but I thought he actually won’t be speaking. So, we’ll see how it pans out. Certainly, we would love to hear from him. Um, but that will be on everybody’s mind. And you’re right. I think just like we had Porzingis watch for the past two years with whatever ailment he was dealing with. Does he look sick? Does he look like he’s legs doing well? Like I think that it’s going to be a little bit of that with Tatum, which is a little bit laughable considering he is so so far away from returning to the court. And potentially it’s it might already be off the table for the season and they just don’t want to say that. Um I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not willing to sign off on it being off just yet. like even if it’s like probably not going to happen, he might mentally want to be thinking like I’m working towards coming back this year. Um just as a way to like stay engaged in his rehab even if the people around him are kind of like, “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” So, we’ll see. Yeah, I find that so interesting because the Pacers did rule Hallebert. Now, part of that’s a timeline. He tore his, you know, handful of weeks later or maybe even a month later. So, that might be why that is. Uh obviously we’ve heard comments from the team about making him put them in position to make a tough decision. So they haven’t shied away from the fact that it’s possible um that he could. Nobody’s ruled him out this year. Yeah. Yeah. So I find that interesting whether it’s just for motivating Tatum and keeping him on track or whether they actually think he has a chance to play this year. Probably could be a little bit of both. Cares came on the show a few weeks ago and I saw him talking about it again today on with Forsber. He’s he’s like certain that Tatum’s going to try to play this year in March or April, whatever that ends up being, just to get back on the court coming off the bench, whatever it is. That’s not where I’m at. I’m definitely in the camp of take it slow. There’s probably not going to be a rush to do it at that point in the season. And I don’t even know if it’s well, if they’re good, he’ll come back. If they’re not, he won’t. I think it’s all going to come down to where he’s at physically. Um, so I don’t have a strong opinion on it, but I’ve definitely leaned toward not seeing them this year, too. Maybe I’m wrong about that just based off the procedure timing like you’ve reported and how far the surgery has come um along with the way he works and I know there was some talk on the radio with Zolak and Bertran there about how often he’s been in the gym and all that. So we knew that this was going to be an interesting case with an injury like this just because of his work ethic and what he you know does with his body and how careful and meticulous he is with that. like this is definitely a guy in a unique position to come back quickly, but is that in the best interest of the team long term? I think Joe’s probably not going to give us a lot of insight on that, but he’s going to get a lot of questions throughout the year about where Tatum’s at. Yeah, that’s the bummer with Joe kind of representing the entire organization is that like we really shouldn’t be asking Joe about what’s he going to say this year when we I haven’t seen him. He’s gonna say I have no idea. you know, because he probably is not going to have much of an idea because I don’t think anybody is gonna know for most of the year. That’s what you’ve always said with Joe. I don’t believe that. But that what have I said? You’ve said that he actually doesn’t know. I think he knows. I don’t think he knows like the minutiae of the daily recovery process. Either that or he doesn’t want to know. Yeah. I think he just it’s at the end of the day like this is why I I wish like the structure of the way we could ask questions would be like it’d be nice if we could talk to a medical person once a month and like get like actual answers to things because Joe Joe’s not going to say the wrong thing so he’s just not going to say anything at all and I totally get that but yeah we’re probably not I I’m in the camp that we’re probably not going to see Tatum next season. I’m intrigued that Corral feels so strongly about that. I know he said that right away but to me the biggest thing is not about whether he’s going to be able to play. just when you look at the guys that had the best long-term outcomes, like there is a correlation with sitting out longer before making your return. So, that’s the main thing for me is, you know, he might be cleared and able and like feeling good. But if if there’s some science pointing to like, hey, if you come back in the fall versus now, that could actually impact your career trajectory, then like that’s all that it ma that’s all that matters. And I don’t know how legit that science is. Like it’s just a couple cases that I’ve examined. So, I’m sure they’ll have like actual experts in their corner discussing whether or not it’s going to impact his trajectory long term. Yeah. And experts say I think once you’re healed and you’re good and you’re cleared, there’s no benefit to sitting out even longer beyond that. And in fact, you probably do have to come back and find your rhythm and find your comfort playing again. I just don’t know how you ramp someone up in the middle of the season. Like, they don’t practice. They don’t have many opportunities for him to get live action outside of the games. said, “Did you just throw him into a game and let him ramp up that way off the bench in small minutes, whatever it might be?” That’s probably what it looks like if he comes back this season. Whereas, if he comes back next year, you have training camp and, you know, the full fall to get ready in preseason and all that. So, I think that’s where that’s going to fall, you know, given the timing of him coming back and especially if it’s playoff time and they’re heading into a playoff series. I don’t know how you just jump right into that either. So, that’s why I lean no, but we’ll see where he’s at on media day. Hopefully. The other thing is the starting lineup and that’s a big debate this off seasonason. We’re not going to get the answer on media day. We probably won’t until we see some preseason games and that’ll probably be a mix of different lineups, too. And that’s where my mind’s actually going now. I don’t think we’re going to see one set lineup that’s out there every night this season. You know, Joe always talks about matchups and all that, but it’s mostly been the same guys out there when they’re available. I actually think we’re going to be seeing some mixing and matching of lineups this year. How’s starting sometimes? I don’t know if Pritchard and Simons actually trade off. That might be one that actually sticks and stays just given where Pritchard’s at. You know, I’ve been pretty adamant that Pritchard should start there. Um, and then the center thing like I’m high on Kada, but do they want to try different things there? Small ball with Buchet, full small ball. Like there might actually be some different looks that they go to there if Kada doesn’t click right away. So, that’s a developing take I have is that we’re going to see a bunch of different starting lineups this year. Um, and preseason will give us a look at a number of them because I’d say to some degree Pritchard Simons is a battle. Center’s wide open and the four even though Buchet is a good bet there is probably open too based on whether they want to play bigger or smaller. Yeah, I’m with you on that. I think we’re going to see a lot of different uh lineups. When I talked to Pritchard last month, that was kind of one of the things that I was so surprised he doesn’t care whether he starts or not. Maybe he does and doesn’t want to say it, but that surprised me. Like obviously there’s media training and these guys are not going to say something inflammatory in the offseason, but the way that he said that, I actually was like he really doesn’t care. Like he’s not going to put his energy towards this. I think he wants to finish games. I think he wants to be one of the team’s like go-to guys. But I think he also experienced firsthand how important you can be coming off the bench. And he had a highly impactful season last year. And I think he can grow from there in either direction. So he it came off very genuine like he kind of laughed when I asked him about the starting lineup thing and was like I I could care less. You know, it’s we’re going to see different combinations and that’s not that’s not the priority. And I think personally I find the starting lineup discussion so boring because how much discourse did we have around Al Horford coming off the bench when Drew Holidayiday and Porzingis were acquired and how many times did we see Well, that’s when you had an abundance of talent. Now it matters because I think you got to figure out who’s good and who’s not. We know pitch is good, right? So, it’s like it doesn’t matter if he’s coming off the bench or starting. That’s my point. Like, we saw guys are going to be injured. Guys are going to be in and out of the lineup. Like, at the end of the day, even the guy that selected to not be in the optimal five is probably going to start quite a bit because that’s just the nature of how things go. So, I’m more curious about who makes the rotation and who doesn’t. And I think there’s a bunch of guys that are on the fringe of, you know, like is is Jordan Walsh rotation player this year or not? Like, that’s that I’m curious about because that actually matters for those guys and matters for the outlook of this team. But to to me starting is just kind of a technicality at a certain point and it get it just becomes this big thing that in actuality like we’ve seen you know you can be off the coming off the bench but actually being like a one of the top most important contributors. Yeah. And the last one’s Joe. Where’s he at? We actually haven’t heard from him a ton this off season. So I’m super intrigued at what his mood’s going to be. He was a little downtrodden on that Element podcast um just because of the losses and that’s understandable. But will he have a new optimism and outlook for this season? Will he even have expectations? Sometimes he goes in that direction and says, “I don’t have any expectations for this team.” You just not want to even put that out there. So, I’m super curious to see what his outlook’s going to be for this group. And you mentioned the stylistic changes. I definitely think that’ll be a topic of discussion on media day. Different guys and where he’s at on them. I think this is uh going to be one of the more interesting media day interviews per usual because I think Joe’s now three, four years running one of the more intriguing characters on this team. Yeah, I think Joe is is feeling good about this team, this group. I think he’s going to be feeling confident. It’s more I’m less curious about how he’s feeling and how he’s communicating behind the scenes. I’m more intrigued by how he’s going to convey that to the media and what he’s going to want out there. Um, so that that’s the part like we know how Joe has kind of conducted himself. Like does any of that change in a year with different expectations and different outcomes. Honestly, I don’t think I think we’re going to see the same Joe that we’ve seen just regardless of what the record and the standings look like. So, uh, definitely curious for it for sure, but I get a very strong sense of confidence from the organization right now. Um, that is higher than where the media is, higher than where the fan base, higher than where the city is. And that might just be like how you have to carry yourself. Like I said when we had John on, like it might be how you have to carry yourself to be a winner to be in professional sports. But I sense that it’s a little bit like they actually think that we’re a little bit underrating them. So, uh, we’ll see how how that pans out pretty quickly. So, yeah, I think I think we’ve been fair with where we’re at on them. I I think there’s obviously going to be a step back given what they lost. Now, how big of a step back is that? That’s going to be the question here. and maybe some other guys step up and take advantage of that opportunity. But as John said, that makes this year intriguing. Like the fact that you’re just not going to know any given night whether they’re going to win or not. You don’t know who’s contributing. You don’t know what the stories are going to be day in and day out. Like this regular season to me, even if fans don’t love it, and I I think fans are still trying to figure out where they’re at on this, they understood what they did over the summer. They’re intrigued by what’s going to happen. Some want them to stink, some want them to be good, but I think everyone’s just trying to figure out what is this going to look like now? We’re going to get the first indication of that on media day on the 29th. We’re less than two weeks from that. It’s a week from Monday as we record here on Friday and we will of course have that streaming live here on CNS Media and plenty of preview material over the next week to come here. Check out Noah’s podcast. You got Boston talking Celtics every week and a new WNBA show, Noah, which you just put the first episode out of. Yeah. Subscribe WNBA today on CLNS. I’m gonna have regular coverage throughout the postseason. Been a really, really fun stretch of WNBA basketball. So, for those of you that have been asking me to do more WNBA coverage on my podcast, we have a whole new channel, pressers, analysis, interviews, they’re all going to be over there. So, you can find that on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. Makes a lot of sense this time of year. Some great games right now. The Seattle Vegas series was awesome. Golden State had a thrilling run even though they fell short. And, uh, there’s going to be more to come there. Minnesota’s great. There’s a lot of big teams contending, vying for that championship right now. New York. So, check it out. CNS Media, Celtics All Access as well. Red Sox Clubhouse. Are they going to make the playoffs? I don’t know after this week, but uh we have all coverage over there of the stretch run. Obviously, I’ve been over at Fenway a lot. Only one more home series to come next weekend. Uh they’re on the road right now starting tonight. So, check out our coverage over there. Patriots press pass. Those guys kill it every single week. They got the Steelers coming into town on Sunday. The Pats are favored, which surprised me, but maybe that’s where this thing’s going. More wins, more success this year for them. So, check out their channel over there. And Bruins camps underway down in Brighton. So, check out Bruins rinkside over there for all the coverage of them. Garden Reports, Celtics CLNS on Twitter. Noah Dazelle, real Bob Manning, you can find us over there as well, tweeting away. And we’ll be back next week with more shows. Maybe the full crew will come in and preview the Celtics training camp. Jimmy John and all them Sherrods. So looking forward to talking to them and getting this thing going again. It’s been a long off season. Not a lot of positive stories coming out of the rough playoff loss there, but as we said, it’s going to be interesting dayto-day following this team this year. And I think it’s going to be fun too despite some ups and downs. So you know what we do over here. It’s uh year six of the Garn Report as it for you know as it stands here and third year for Noah, sixth year for me I think covering this team. So, looking forward to getting going here and we will see you all next week. Peace. No one’s sneaking a vegan brownie by me. I’ll tell you that. Okay, you know what, John? We’re going to do it. You have to feel that way too, Bobby. I have to feel that way. Let’s fight over and and make Luke your first center. Bobby, we gave you Luke hour early. We are not going to end this on a damn conversation about Luke. [Music]

Bobby Manning welcomes Timberwolves reporter Jon Krawczynski from The Athletic to preview what free agents Luka Garza and Josh Minott bring to the Celtics after both developed with then left Minnesota this summer. Are either in line to have breakout seasons with more opportunity in Boston? Plus, Jon shares his thoughts on the outlook for the Celtics and Wolves, what it’s like to go through ownership change as the Wolves and Celtics are at the moment, and more.