Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics
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Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics
It is a good thing, really that Boston Celtics starting center Neemias Queta is a slow packer. Taking his time gathering his things helped him, in a way, through what might otherwise be one of the difficult stretches of his life.
That was a little more than two years ago, in September of 2023, when he got a call from the team that drafted him in the second round in 2021, the Sacramento Kings. Queta was told he was not going to be part of the team for the upcoming season. He was being cut.
So he put his head down, went pack home, and started packing. By the time he was done, the worst moment of his career turned around–he’d be joining the Celtics.
“As soon as I got cut, I was just trying to pack and stuff, just trying to get ready,” Queta said. “That takes a while for me, usually, so that was the main thing. I was occupied by doing that. By the time I was done, or almost done, Boston already called, so I moved on fairly quickly.”
Neemias Queta Dominates Boards in Celtics Win
This was all relevant to the Celtics on Friday night in the TD Garden, when Sacramento came to town and Queta dominated the middle with 10 points and 15 rebounds, adding three blocked shots and a steal. It was one of the better games he’s played this season, and gave him the opportunity to exact some revenge against his old team as a starter playing 29 minutes, the most he’s played against his former team.
Queta has been very good for the Celtics in his first season as a starter, logging 10.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 25.0 minutes per game. It’s been the best chance he’s had to show what he can do in five years in the NBA.
He said the day he was cut from the Kings has turned out to be a very positive day after all.
“Man, it changed everything,” he said. “I think that day, I was working out out there and, later on they told me, and they told me they were going to move on from me in a different direction. And it’s tough you go through it and you’re trying to figure out like, what’s your next step? But I’m really happy Boston stepped up. I am glad I am where I am at.”
‘A Lot of Those Things, I Can’t Control’
Neemias Queta has been a focal point of Celtics trade rumors here in the days before the deadline, though not as a potential target of other teams. The chatter around the league has been the team is seeking an upgrade at the starting center spot, but Queta keeps showing that might not be necessary.
An attempt by Boston to land Ivica Zubac of the Clippers came up short. Instead, it is more likely the Celtics add a big man who can back up Queta at the deadline, but not one that replaces him.
The team is interested in Yves Missi of the Pelicans, who would not necessarily take Queta’s job in the middle.
“Honestly, I feel like a lot of those things, I can’t control,” Queta said. “But you know, of course, I am not gonna be happy about it and I’m just trying to use it as an extra motivation to go out there and keep on being the best version of myself. Whether it’s the version in Sacramento or the version here, I just want to keep getting better and I think that only adds to the fuel.”