The Boston Celtics hope that they just drafted Neemias Queta's replacement at center by drafting Houston Cougars big man Chris Cenac Jr. in Tuesday night's NBA Draft.
The Celtics have been trying to find a replacement for Queta for a full calendar year now. That is not to say that they don't love what he brings to the table, one of the latest hidden gems uncovered and shaped and developed by Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla.
Neemias Queta has a ceiling
Boston added Queta for nothing and he grew into their starting center last season, an underrated rebounder and finisher whose versatility on defense was a key to the Celtics' surprising season a year ago.
At the same time, for all that Queta has gone from third big to low-end starter, he doesn't have the upside to be a Top-15 player at the position and truly impact winning on both ends of the court. To compete at the highest levels in a conference with Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns, not to mention Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic looming across the Mississippi, the Celtics need size defensively that also boosts their offense.
Chris Cenac has no ceiling
They took a swing at such a player in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday, taking Chris Cenac Jr. out of Houston. The freshman big man is the ultimate mystery box; the 6'10" big man has a stout 240 pound frame that should only grow stronger, and his 7'5" wingspan and 9'1" standing reach give him all the size that the Celtics could want.
He is a superb athlete, with the ability to leap out of the gym to block shots, catch lobs or snatch rebounds. He has intriguing skill as a player who can drive from the perimeter and who can shoot the basketball.
The problem is that he didn't put all of that together at Houston -- not even close. He reads the court slowly, frequently makes poor decisions and vacillates between out-of-control and disappearing entirely.
Picking at No. 27, the Celtics were not going to suddenly land the next Kristaps Porzingis or Al Horford, players who were critical to their championship in 2024. They needed to take an upside swing that comes with a fair amount of risk.
Cenac may never put things together and become a plus starter. Even if he does, it will be multiple seasons before he is ready to be an impact player in the playoffs. There are many roadblocks to him becoming the two-way force that the Celtics are dreaming about.
Boston took a swing
If they are right, however, and one of the best coaching staffs in the league effectively molds him into reaching his potential, the Celtics will have a phenomenal player on their hands.
Boston hopes that it just replaced Neemias Queta long-term, but that doesn't mean that they do not need him for this season. Perhaps another trade is in the works that would send out Queta, but it would need to bring back a big man. Cenac is not ready now.
But one day he might be, and Boston took him with the hopes that he can grow beyond what Queta can provide. This is an organization that shoots for the moon, and the plan is for Cenac to replace Queta -- but perhaps not just yet.
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