I was hoping for the Boston Celtics to make a big center upgrade this offseason (I was even down for a Kristaps Porzingis reunion... I don't think anybody else in New England shared this sentiment with me), because I felt like this was what they needed to move the needle and become a more well-rounded team.
That's not really what happened, as the Celtics instead opted to sign Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, 47.4 million contract to be their offseason addition of the summer. And not only does it look like they're sticking with Neemias Queta as their starting center for this season, but they're actually committing to him for the long haul, having signed him to a new four-year, $56 million deal.
Even though the Celtics rudely went against my wishes, I'm actually fully on board with what they've done, and there's a real chance that their center room becomes one of their biggest strengths.
The Celtics' Robinson-Queta pairing is very intriguing
Realistically, there wasn't a big-time center upgrade available for Boston. Guys like Porzingis, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Robert Williams III all re-signed with their teams before free agency even began, and outside of maybe Walker Kessler and Naz Reid, no notable center got traded this past offseason anyway.
And that might be a blessing in disguise for the Celtics. They missed out on some good names, but Queta was incredible last year. He averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3% from the field in his first season as a starter. Maybe it's worth it for Boston to give the 27-year-old another big role and let him develop his game even further.
I assume the Celtics will keep Queta in the starting lineup because 1) it would be best for his development, and 2) Robinson is better used as a backup (he was one of the most valuable players for the New York Knicks during their championship run, and he started just 16 of his total 78 games last season, including the playoffs) and sparingly, given his foul concerns and injury history.
Robinson is a great complement to Queta. He addresses some of Queta's biggest weaknesses (physicality, defending better centers, and I guess just the ability to play in the playoffs) while also doubling down on some of his biggest strengths (namely his rebounding, particularly on the offensive side of the ball). And I'm sure he can teach the Utah State alum a thing or two to help him work on his game directly.
Celtics' entire gameplan at center is going to look different
Over the past few years, Boston has prioritized having a stretch big in the rotation (Porzingis, Al Horford, and even Nikola Vucevic for a little bit). Things are going to be different now, though. The Celtics don't have a reliable stretch big in the rotation, unless you want to count Luka Garza (who shot a career-high 43.3% from deep last season and is the third-string center anyway).
And I'm actually excited about that.
Robinson and Queta are two of the best and most tenacious offensive rebounders in the game. The former Knicks big man averaged a league-leading 10.6 offensive rebounds per 100 possessions last year, and Queta ranked 15th with 6 per 100 possessions.
Boston clearly cares about winning the possession battle, which is a good thing. This will give everybody else on the team more variance on offense (they can lean more into high-volume shooting now), and it's going to be tough for opposing defenses to match up with them on a nightly basis.
The Celtics have one of the deepest center rooms in the league, and fans should be excited to see it all come together this season.
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