It has been a quiet and curious offseason for the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics. And in the eyes of Minnesota Timberwolves fans, it just became downright hilarious. The Celtics will be walking into next season with a full roster that now includes former Wolves players Luka Garza and Josh Minott.
That means Boston’s only free agent additions thus far are two guys Minnesota let go of in the last couple of days. Timberwolves fans have been quick to point that out, and understandably so.
To be fair, it is not as if Garza and Minott are without value. Garza is a skilled scorer with a soft touch, and Minott has the frame and physical tools to make an impact defensively. But Wolves fans watched both players struggle to earn consistent minutes in Minnesota, even during stretches where rotation opportunities were available. Neither were part of Chris Finch’s playoff rotation, and neither made a case for themselves as long-term pieces.
For Celtics fans, this is proably seen as low-risk depth. For Timberwolves fans, it is comedy gold. The jokes write themselves: Boston’s only real reinforcements for next season are the same players who could not crack the rotation on a team Minnesota fans still consider to be chasing the Celtics’ level.
The Celtics added Josh Minott and Luka Garza
Of course, Boston’s front office may be operating with more nuance than the casual observer gives credit for. Garza’s offensive upside fits Boston’s scheme well enough, and Minott is capable as a switchable defender. But that does not change the fact that the Wolves moved on from both without much regret, and that no one in Minnesota is truly losing sleep over their departures.
To pile on, the Celtics now have a fully maxed-out 15-man roster. Unless they make a trade or waive someone, they are finished with free agency. That means they will be returning with a roster far below what they had last season from a talent perspective. Obviously, injuries and free agency departures have taken a toll on them.
From the outside looking in, it feels easy to say Boston will be taking a step back next season. And from Minnesota’s vantage point, it is even easier to find humor in the fact that a team so highly regarded across the league is now leaning on the Wolves’ extra pieces.
Even if neither Garza nor Minott plays meaningful minutes in Boston, the headline optics of it all are enough to spark laughter for the Wolves' fanbase. After all, Minnesota just reached the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons. The Celtics may have a banner, but at least for one moment in July, the Timberwolves get the last laugh.