The Celtics have a good problem on their hands at center, but they shouldn’t overthink it. Neemias Queta has earned the chance to keep the starting job, even with Mitchell Robinson now in Boston after being taken from the New York Knicks this offseason.
Queta is the better bet if the goal is development. The Celtics already showed plenty of faith in him when they picked him up after the Sacramento Kings waived him in 2023, with the move coming as Sacramento made room for JaVale McGee.
Boston then handed him the starting center role after last year’s departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, despite Queta having only six career starts at center. This summer, they doubled down by signing him to a new deal.
That trust came after a real step forward. Queta, the Portuguese native, just put together a career year: 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3 FG% in 76 games.
He was plainly better by the end of the regular season than he was at the beginning, which is exactly the kind of trajectory Boston should want to keep feeding. He did struggle in the playoffs, but he’s also only 27 and still has plenty of basketball ahead of him.
There’s enough in his game to justify another long look. He showed an underrated post-up package, worked hard on the glass, defended like a free safety, and improved his positioning. The more minutes he gets next season, the more the Celtics can keep sharpening those strengths.
Robinson brings a different kind of value, and it’s value that showed up in New York. He finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and was a terrific backup to Karl-Anthony Towns, using his rebounding, physicality, and defense to swing games. He made life miserable for players like Victor Wembanyama and Joel Embiid.
But that’s the key: he was doing that work off the bench. Robinson doesn’t need a starting role, or even 20 minutes a night, to matter.
Pushing him into a heavier load could backfire. His offensive limitations are real - Celtics fans know the Hack-a-Mitch problem - and durability has been an issue, with only one 70-plus-game season and just 48 total games across his last two seasons before 2025-26.
His physical style also puts him in foul trouble.
Robinson is a strong backup center. He might even be good enough to start.
But the Celtics would be smartest to keep him in the role where he’s done his best work. With Queta, Robinson, and Luka Garza - who is also coming off a career year - Boston has a center group that could become one of its biggest strengths if it’s used the right way.
In Other News...
Hugo Gonzalezs FIBA Rise Comes With An Awkward Celtics Twist
The Celtics international contingent has added another layer of interest this summer, with several players in the FIBA Basketball World Cup spotlight for their home countries. For Boston, Hugo Gonzalezs run with Spain stands out not just because of the stage, but because he is sharing the floor with Juancho Hernangomez, a former Celtic who spent part of the 2021-22 season in Boston before moving on.
That connection gives Gonzalezs tournament a little extra edge for Celtics followers, even if it comes with some awkward history attached. Hernangomez once drew attention for critical remarks about the teams chemistry before later walking those comments back, so seeing him and Gonzalez linked in Spain is a reminder that these overseas games can carry Boston storylines well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Mitchell Robinson Just Added A New Edge To The Celtics Rivalry
Jalen Brunson didnt hide the oddness of watching a former teammate land with a longtime rival, even if the move makes plenty of basketball sense on Bostons side. Mitchell Robinson, a seven-foot center with a reputation for shot-blocking and offensive rebounding, has signed a three-year contract with the Celtics, giving them a different kind of interior presence as they try to keep building around size and physicality.
For now, Robinson is expected to come off the bench behind starter Neemias Queta, but that doesnt make the fit any less interesting for a Celtics team that values rim protection and second-chance opportunities. Brunson said he had mixed feelings about the deal while still wishing Robinson well, which is about as close as players usually get to admitting a rivalry has gained a little extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Suddenly Have A Sam Hauser Decision Fans Cant Ignore
The Celtics have spent part of their roster-building summer weighing every possible path to trim salary, and Sam Hauser has been one of the more interesting names in that conversation. Boston at one point viewed him as a possible trade chip for cost-cutting purposes, but that route looks far less likely after the Jaylen Brown deal changed the financial picture. Even so, Hauser is not just a name on a spreadsheet. He has become a useful part of the rotation, the kind of player a contender can trust when it needs spacing and stability.
The wrinkle is that Boston also has four younger players at Hausers spot who could start pushing for minutes if they develop the way the team hopes. That creates a real roster question for the Celtics: keep the veteran shooter who already fits, or make room for the next wave and let the depth chart sort itself out. Hauser still appears to have a path to sticking around as a dependable option, but how much runway he gets may depend on how quickly those younger players force the issue. [Read more 🡒]