Training camp is almost here, and Neemias Queta is already back in Boston doing more than just getting ready for basketball. The Celtics center recently spent time at King Open School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he and Hoopers unveiled a newly designed court that celebrates the Portuguese diaspora.
Queta also had plenty to say about the Celtics’ summer shakeup, including the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston landed Paul George and two future first-round draft picks in the deal, and George has already joined Mike Conley for his introductory press conference in Boston.
For Queta, the move hits hard. Brown wasn’t just a teammate; he was a friend and a major figure in the Celtics’ locker room and around the community after spending a decade in Boston. Queta made it clear he’s sad to see him go.
Brown’s exit also closes the book on two players who helped steady a team plenty of people had written off after last summer’s roster overhaul. Instead, Brown went on to deliver another huge season, emerging as a top-10 player at his position in the regular season. He earned All-NBA Second Team honors for the second time and finished sixth in MVP voting.
Still, Queta knows the NBA is the NBA. Losing someone close stings, but he also understands that part of the job is adjusting to what’s in front of you and not getting stuck on what you can’t control.
He also sounded energized about Boston’s newest big man, Mitchell Robinson. Queta said he’s ready to welcome him in, and the pairing could give the Celtics one of the league’s strongest frontcourt tandems.
Robinson’s calling card is obvious: the boards. Queta went as far as to call him one of the best rebounders the NBA has ever seen. ESPN’s Zach Kram backed up the reputation angle, noting that among players with at least 5,000 career minutes, Robinson is tied with Dennis Rodman for the second-highest career offensive rebounding rate.
That matters for Boston’s rotation. Joe Mazzulla can keep at least one of Robinson and Queta on the floor, and Luka Garza gives the Celtics another strong offensive rebounder as the third option. That kind of depth should help Boston pile up extra possessions, a small but decisive edge that can swing games night after night.
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Robinson arrives with the same questions that have followed him for a while, namely durability and what he can add beyond defense and finishing around the basket. For Boston, though, the appeal is obvious: if the coaching staff can help sharpen the rough edges, there is room for him to become more than just a depth piece and turn into a useful frontcourt answer. [Read more 🡒]