Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta has only started six games in his four-year NBA career, but that could all change during the 2025-26 season. The C’s let backup center Luke Kornet walk in free agency this offseason and veteran big man Al Horford is expected to either do the same, or retire. Normally, that would leave 2018 All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, yet the 7-footer was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks over the summer, leaving his starting job up for grabs.
Queta vs. Porzingis
Queta will have a great chance at replacing Porzingis in the starting lineup, and he’s shown just what he’s capable of during this year’s EuroBasket tournament. As a member of Portugal’s national team, Queta has squared off with some of Europe’s finest, including Porzingis and Latvia.
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On Monday in Riga, Latvia, Queta and Portugal fell to the host country, 78-62. The Lisbon native did his best to upset Latvia, notching 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds in about 19 minutes of play. However, Latvia is more talented across the board, and Porzingis met Queta’s strong showing with an even better performance, recording a game-high 21 points and knocking down five of his 12 attempts from deep.
Following Latvia’s double-digit victory, Porzingis was asked about the Celtics’ current opening at the five spot. The ex-Green Teamer admitted he hasn’t looked at Boston’s depth chart before going on to advocate for Queta.
“Honestly, I haven’t really thought about their roster,” Porzingis said. “But what I can say is that Neemy has been getting better every year.”
Last season, Queta entered 62 games, which was more games than he’d previously played in his entire career. He largely stepped up for the Celtics when they needed it, and Porzingis complimented his work ethic.
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“He’s been putting in the work, and you can see it in how he’s playing now in this tournament,” Porzingis said. “I’m happy for Neemy. He’s a great dude, really cool person. He puts in the time, he puts in the work, and I’ll be glad to see him get a lot more minutes this year.”
Whether or not Queta receives the starting nod remains to be seen, as first-year Celtic Luka Garza is another potential candidate. Yet, if Porzingis’ comments reveal anything, it’s that Queta is the clear favorite.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Kristaps Porzingis is confident that Neemias Queta will start soon