Celtics’ Neemias Queta gets $2.3 million contract update before 1st season as starting center
Neemias Queta has a big season coming up for the Boston Celtics.
And here in this first week of the 2025-26 campaign, Queta got some officially good contract news.
On Tuesday, Queta’s $2.3 million contract for the season with the Celtics became fully guaranteed, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
There was never any question that this would come to pass, but it became official on Tuesday, and so Queta is now secure for the season ahead.
Queta is lined up to be the Celtics’ starting center this winter after the departures of Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.
It’s a huge opportunity for Queta, who was once a second-round pick by the Sacramento Kings and is originally from Portugal. This will be his fifth NBA season.
“We’re going to be hard on Neemi and I’m really looking forward to coaching him throughout the year,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told The Boston Globe. “But as I told him, this is what you worked your whole life for, a chance to start for the Celtics, and you see this with players when they step into different phases of their career. It’s easy to be the rookie, kind of easy to be the fourth-string big, and then it’s kind of easy to be the backup. And now you have to develop a mindset to deliver every night, and I think he has that.”
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In 2024-25, Queta averaged 13.9 minutes per game and averaged 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 65% from the floor.
The 7-foot Queta is 26 years old. This is his chance to prove he truly belongs in the NBA for the long run.
And for the Celtics to be competitive even without Jayson Tatum this season, they’ll need Queta to play up to his best potential.
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