At this juncture of the NBA season, certain players are being afforded opportunities they might not typically receive within a team’s regular rotation. Even powerhouse teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, vying for the top seed in the Western Conference, are seeing new faces emerge late in the season.

One such player is center Luka Garza. Despite logging just nine minutes on Wednesday night, Garza made a significant impact by scoring 16 points. He shot an impressive 7-of-10 from the field, adding two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in a commanding 133-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The following day, Garza’s standout performance was acknowledged. NBA insider Shams Charania, reporting for The Athletic and Stadium, disclosed that the Timberwolves decided to convert Garza’s two-way contract into a standard NBA contract, ensuring his presence on the roster for the postseason. This information was corroborated by Garza’s agents Mike Kneisley and Odell Witherspoon of Klutch Sports.

While some may view this as a commendable achievement for Garza, being rewarded by the team for consistent performance in limited minutes over the season, others might interpret the move as a precautionary measure. It’s conceivable that the team opted to secure Garza with a standard contract as insurance, given the uncertainty surrounding Karl-Anthony Towns’ return to the lineup.