Mitchell Robinson didn’t sound like a player angling to take over the Boston Celtics’ starting center job on day one, and that alone makes Joe Mazzulla’s decision look pretty simple.
At media day at the Auerbach Center, the former New York Knicks big man was asked whether starting matters to him. His answer was as direct as it was revealing.
"For me, it doesn't matter. I've started before; I came off the bench.
Been up and down. That don't really bother me too much."
That kind of response gives the Celtics even less reason to overthink things. If Robinson is comfortable playing either role, there’s no obvious need to bump Neemias Queta out of the first unit before the season even starts. Queta gives Boston a cleaner path to begin the year, and if a change is needed later, that can happen then.
There’s also the fit issue. Robinson just finished a season in New York as a key piece for a Knicks team that ended a 53-year championship drought, and his value has long come from doing the dirty work off the bench.
Boston can lean into that instead of creating an unnecessary wrinkle right away. The veteran center’s new three-year, $47.4 million deal only reinforces how comfortable he is in that kind of role.
And the usual concern that comes with Robinson - the threat of Hack-a-Robinson - doesn’t carry the same weight here anyway.
That’s because Queta changes the equation. Teams went after Robinson in New York because he was the NBA’s best offensive rebounder since he entered the league, and he also anchored the rim on defense. But the Celtics’ backup option is productive in those same areas, which takes away much of the incentive to hunt Robinson.
Among players who appeared in at least 60 games and played at least 19 minutes per game last season, Queta ranked in the top 10 in offensive rebounds per game, according to NBA.com. He also finished in the top 10 in blocks per game among players who appeared in at least 60 games and played at least 25 minutes per contest. Queta averaged 1.3 blocks, which ranked ninth.
So if the idea is to get the most out of both centers, Boston’s best move is straightforward: start Queta, let Robinson punish teams in reserve, and avoid fixing a problem that hasn’t shown up yet.
In Other News...
Celtics Preseason Will Be The First Test Of Bostons New Core
Bostons preseason arrives with a very different look this fall, and it will give the Celtics their first real chance to see how the new pieces fit around the edges of a reshaped core. After the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, the roster now features Paul George, Mike Conley Jr. and Mitchell Robinson, a group that changes both the tone and the responsibilities at the start of camp.
The exhibition schedule will be the first public measuring stick for how quickly the Celtics can build chemistry before the regular season opener and the first stretch of games that follows. Fans will be able to watch on NBC Sports Boston or stream the action on DIRECTV, and with the training camp roster already set, the focus now shifts to how this new version of Boston handles its first live test. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Suddenly Have A Low-Risk Shot At Former Top-10 Talent
Rob Dillinghams NBA path has taken a sharp turn since he came into the league as the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft. After stops with the Timberwolves and Bulls, the former top-10 talent was waived by the Hornets and is now an unrestricted free agent, which has put him back on the market at a point where teams can look at him more as a project than a finished product.
For Boston, that makes the situation worth watching. The Celtics are reportedly considering bringing Dillingham in on a two-way contract, a move that would give them a low-risk chance to add a young guard with real pedigree without making a major commitment. In a market where upside often costs more than certainty, this is the kind of flyer that can make sense for a team trying to stay flexible while still adding talent. [Read more 🡒]
Mitchell Robinson Is Already Stirring Emotions Beyond Boston
Mitchell Robinsons move to Boston has already created some ripple effects far beyond the Celtics locker room. After helping the Knicks win the NBA championship, Robinson landed a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Celtics, a signing that immediately shifted the conversation in New York and set off a familiar free-agency reaction: appreciation for what he gave the franchise, followed by the reality of replacing him.
The Knicks answered by bringing in veteran Andre Drummond on a one-year deal, and the early reaction from former teammates reflected both sides of the transition. Some voiced mixed feelings about Robinson leaving, while others saw reason for optimism in Drummonds arrival, leaving Boston with a new big man and New York with a fresh layer of intrigue around the frontcourt. [Read more 🡒]