BOSTON — No other position faced more scrutiny for the Celtics than at big man, after the roster was gutted with multiple contributors departing. Fans wondered what would become of the big man rotation as they searched and speculated for any notable depth piece throughout the summer.
Neemias Queta has quieted some of those concerns as he’s slotted into the starting lineup and given the Celtics great production. His latest showing came against the Wizards in a blowout win Wednesday, finishing with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Queta’s looking like a developmental success story, at least through the opening portions of the season.
“The bigs, they’ve got a lot to do on both ends of the floor,” C’s coach Joe Mazzulla said. “But the timing on his shifts defensively was good, his screening was good, his offensive rebounding was good. He played the way that we know he can. So he’s got to keep fighting for that, but he played well tonight.”
Of course, Queta, 26, isn’t a finished product. He’ll still make mistakes, which is when Mazzulla and the staff will coach him up hard. But the early returns have shown a more polished version of Queta. His teammates have found him on the pick-and-roll, and his ability to finish near the bucket has noticeably improved compared to past years.
Queta is a crucial part of this team because of his size and skills. There’s a reason why he has the best net rating among rotation players at a +19.3. The backup big man position has also been inconsistent between Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman or Chris Boucher. That heightens Queta’s importance within the context of the roster.
“The team is relying on me to keep playing that hard and not having those mental breakdowns,” Queta said. “Just try to get the best out of me and keep on me and coaching me. Whether we’re winning or whether we’re losing, it’s always being hard on me and trying to get the best out of me.”
The Celtics originally signed Queta to a two-way contract before the 2023-24 season. He got some run when the C’s were thin at center, but otherwise, he spent most of his first season in the G League. Last season was his breakout year as he played in a career-high 62 games and showed he can be a consistent backup big man.
This season is the best opportunity of his career to show he can be a starting caliber center in the NBA. There’s still plenty of season left. But Queta, at the very least, showed he should be viewed as a long-term contributor for Boston.
“I think there’s a lot more to get better at,” Queta said. “Honestly, I feel like I can do so much better. Playing solid. I think I just gotta hone into my skills and just become even more reliable.”
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