Celtics' Neemias Queta Wants to Add 3-Pointer to His Game. Here's How Realistic It Is image
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The Boston Celtics might have a new 3-point shooter on their roster.
During training camp, Celtics center Neemias Queta revealed that he worked on his jump shot in the offseason in the hope of spacing the floor more.
"The preparation started with just getting spot shots during the summer, working on different forms, speeds, arches and just getting a better feel for my shot," Queta said. "I feel like we're going to see a little bit more of my shot just off of the positioning we're going to have and just the comfortability I have in it, too.
Queta did make one thing clear, though.
"We cannot stop expecting the same stuff I've been doing all over, which is rebounding, setting great screens and finishing around the paint," he added. "That's my bread and butter.
"If I can add the 3-point shot, let's do it, but I'm not living and dying by it."
How realistic is Queta's goal? Let's take a closer look.
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Has Neemias Queta even made a 3-pointer in the NBA?
He has, but not many.
Through five NBA seasons, Queta has attempted 11 3-pointers. The catch? He made only one of those attempts, and the Celtics were up by 38 points when he took it.
Queta was more efficient from 3-point range in college, but he barely attempted them. He went 3-for-8 from deep during his three seasons at Utah State.
So why would I believe Neemias Queta can shoot all of a sudden?
A couple of reasons.
First and foremost, Queta has shown some touch from the free-throw line, shooting 70.3 percent last season and 70.7 percent for his career. Those are respectable rates for a 7-foot center.
Secondly, Queta's form is actually pretty good.
Here's a look at him practicing in training camp:
If you weren't keeping count, Queta went 3-for-11 from 3 in that clip. That's obviously not great, but I wouldn't put too much stock in that.
For someone who has barely taken 3s, the process is more important than the results right now.
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Would Neemias Queta shooting 3s actually make the Celtics better?
It could.
Right now, the Celtics have three centers on their roster. In addition to Queta, there's Mitchell Robinson and Luka Garza.
They each have different strengths and weaknesses, but Queta and Robinson check similar boxes as screen-setters, lob threats, rebounders and rim protectors. Neither Queta nor Robinson offers much in the floor-spacing department, which is Garza's bread and butter.
Not that anyone should expect Queta to turn into Karl-Anthony Towns overnight, but if he can consistently step out to the 3-point line, it would give Joe Mazzulla another option when he wants more spacing without sacrificing size.
In theory, it could also make the Celtics worse if Queta was so focused on becoming a 3-point shooter that he stopped doing all of the things that made him so valuable last season, but that doesn't sound like it'll be an issue.
The Celtics are basically asking him to add another weapon to a skill set that already works. They already know how much damage he can do around the basket. Now they're finding out if he can give them something from beyond it.
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Will defenses respect Neemias Queta?
Queta will, of course, have to make more than a few 3-pointers for defenses to start respecting him as a shooter. If they don't, his shot won't change much about how teams defend the Celtics.
But if Queta can consistently knock down open looks, to the point where teams have to think twice about leaving him open, it would open up the floor even more for Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Payton Pritchard and others without sacrificing size.
That could become a valuable weapon for Mazzulla and the Celtics.
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