Neemias Queta might not be the starting center the Boston Celtics fans envisioned for the upcoming season. But he might end up being the one taking over the job. With the Celtics trading away most of their core players, the rest of the rotation can seize the opportunity and make the best of it. For Celtics fans, the mindset Queta has for the upcoming EuroBasket should be music to their ears.
Neemias Queta’s Mindset at EuroBasket Will Make the Celtics Happy
Neemias Queta and Portugal qualified for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 for the first time since 2011. They went through long qualifiers to make it. Speaking ahead of the opening, Queta talked about what he wants to do at the tournament and how that will translate to his play for the Celtics. He said:
“Thinking that I don’t play as many minutes there or that I play more minutes here will make no difference. I have to attack the game in the same way, with the same mentality of wanting to make my defender suffer with me, and that I can do more, capitalize on, and off the field. I think it is so, with the best possible approach, that I can be effective.”
That aggressiveness is something that the Celtics fans would love to see from the big man. During the qualifiers, he was amazing, averaging 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. During his NBA career, he has never averaged more than 5.5 points per game for a season. If he can bump his scoring to double digits next season, the Celtics will be in a good spot. But the more important aspect of his game is to be aggressive and try to establish his presence in the paint. Neemias plays a different style than the centers the Celtics have had in recent years. He doesn’t shoot threes and does all of his work in the paint.
He plays a different role on the Portugal team as well. While he is 10th or 11th player on the Celtics, he is the main figure of the Portugal basketball team. The more he grows and develops, the better it will be for Boston.
Will Queta Get a Starting Spot?
Most of the Boston Celtics’ rotation at center from last season is gone. Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, Al Horford is likely to sign with another team, and Luke Kornet signed with the San Antonio Spurs.
Queta will have a chance to win the starting center position. But to get it, he will have to prove during training camp that he is better than Luka Garza, who the Celtics signed this offseason. To be fair, neither has been anything more than a role player before. Garza has averaged less than eight minutes per game. Queta, on the other hand, averaged 13.9 minutes per game last season with the Celtics.
Whether they admit it or not, the Celtics are treating next season as a gap year. After Jason Tatum suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs, they traded core players to get away from the second apron. They might try to do more trades by opening night to get under the tax, and avoid repeater tax in the upcoming seasons.
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