Neemias Queta just had a stellar season with the Boston Celtics, easily the best of his pro career (10.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.3 BPG, 65.3 FG%). He stepped up following the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and Al Horford last offseason (which was huge because, if not Queta, then who?), and was in the Most Improved Player award discussions.
But Queta is not a long-term starting center for the Celtics, at least not if they want to be serious about competing for a championship next season.
The Celtics need to find an upgrade over Neemias Queta
I was a fan of Queta's when Boston signed him in 2023 and had been clamoring for him to get more opportunities over the past few seasons, so his having the campaign he just had definitely brought a smile to my face.
But at the same time, it's tough to imagine the Portuguese native being the Celtics' center of the future. He is a foul waiting to happen (he averaged 4.1 FPG in seven playoff games), can't shoot (which is far from ideal in Joe Mazzulla's system), struggles against bigger and better centers, and doesn't have too high a ceiling, given that he's already almost 27 years old.
There's a lot to like about Queta. He improved in every area of the game over the course of the season, is very mobile and is an underrated passer/playmaker for his size, and while he's not Hakeem Olajuwon or Kevin McHale, he's got some solid post moves that could be deadly once they're fully developed.
But in hypothetical land, should he be trusted to guard Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, or Chet Holmgren in Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Definitely not.
Neemias Queta still deserves a big role in Boston
Queta has a $2.7 million team option this summer, and the Celtics should absolutely pick it up (and according to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, they will). The Utah State alum stepped up when the team needed him to, and he played a big part in the team exceeding expectations.
However, this also doesn't mean the Celtics shouldn't look for an upgrade at the position. Whether it be Myles Turner (who would be a great fit with the team as a stretch big, even if he's not what he was a couple of year of ago), Evan Mobley (pipe dream, but still possible if the Cleveland Cavaliers lose to the Detroit Pistons in the second round), or anybody else who may be on the market, Boston should look into bolstering its center room and turning Queta into its primary backup/spot starter to maximize his skillset and turn him into a more dependable, long-term piece.
Add us as a preferred source on Google