The Boston Celtics didn’t chase the flashy center upgrade some fans were hoping for this offseason. Instead, they doubled down on a different kind of answer, one that could end up making the middle of their rotation more dangerous than a single headline addition ever would have.
Boston signed Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, 47.4 million contract, but the bigger move might be the one that keeps Neemias Queta in place. The Celtics have committed to Queta with a new four-year, $56 million deal, and all signs point to him opening the season as the starter.
That setup may not have been the obvious dream scenario, but it makes a lot of sense. Queta earned the trust last season, putting up 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3% from the field in his first year as a starter. At 27, he’s still developing, and Boston appears willing to let that growth happen in a real role rather than pushing him aside for a bigger name.
Robinson fits as the other half of the equation. He’s the kind of backup who changes the tone of a game in short bursts, especially with his rebounding and interior presence.
Last season, he started just 16 of his 78 games, including the playoffs, and he was one of the most valuable players for the New York Knicks during their championship run. The concerns are obvious - foul trouble and injuries have always hovered around him - which is exactly why he works best in a smaller, more targeted role.
Put the two together, and Boston suddenly has a center pairing that covers a lot of ground. Robinson helps with physicality, defending stronger centers, and the kind of playoff resistance Queta will need to keep building toward. Queta, meanwhile, brings the size, energy, and rebounding that make Robinson even more dangerous when the Celtics want to lean into chaos on the glass.
That’s the bigger shift here: Boston’s center room is going to look different. For years, the Celtics preferred stretch bigs like Porzingis, Al Horford, and even Nikola Vucevic for a stretch. This group doesn’t really work that way, unless Luka Garza counts, and he’s the third-string center anyway despite shooting a career-high 43.3% from deep last season.
But there’s another path, and Boston seems ready to take it. Robinson led the league with 10.6 offensive rebounds per 100 possessions last season, while Queta ranked 15th at 6 per 100 possessions. That kind of pressure on the offensive glass can tilt possessions, create extra chances, and give the rest of the roster more freedom to fire away without worrying so much about how every possession ends.
The Celtics didn’t land the center upgrade some people were waiting for. They may have built something better for the way they want to play now.
In Other News...
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What makes Boston hard to dismiss is not just where it sits in the standings, but how well it appears built for a postseason run. The Celtics have favorable playoff positioning, the kind of depth that can survive the grind of a series, and a rsum that stacks up well against the other top threats in the East. So while the noise around Browns absence has fueled plenty of doubt, the playoff path still leaves room for Boston to prove the conversation was premature. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Doubters Keep Ignoring One Reality About The East
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New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Indiana and Miami all have reasons for optimism, but each comes with its own obstacle, whether that is roster uncertainty, health questions or the gap between regular-season promise and April reality. Bostons edge is less about flash than stability, and until one of those teams can show a more reliable path through the postseason, the Celtics remain the standard everyone else is still trying to reach. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Scheierman Is Forcing His Way Into A Celtics Debate
Baylor Scheierman spent his first two NBA seasons mostly as a name to file away for later, but his post-All-Star break stretch last year changed the conversation in Boston. The third-year guard-wing showed better efficiency and a sharper scoring touch, enough to make the Celtics look twice at how he might fit into a rotation that already has three likely starters set and two other spots still up for grabs.
Scheiermans case is built on something Boston always values: enough offense to matter, enough defense to stay on the floor. With an increased role expected this season, he has put himself into the mix for one of those open starting jobs, which is no small development on a team where lineup competition tends to be unforgiving. The Celtics do not need him to be a headline act, but he has started to look like someone who can make the decision harder than it was supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]