From the moment that the Boston Celtics signed former New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson this summer, there was always going to be a frontcourt battle in Boston. Both Robinson and Boston’s returning starter Neemias Queta offer the team a viable option in the starting five.
According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Celtics plan on sticking with Queta as they head into the 2026-27 season.
The loyalty aspect of this play makes sense from Boston. Queta impressed last season when he was thrust into a larger role after Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Kristaps Porzingis all headed to new homes. The Portuguese big man averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in 76 appearances for the Cs.
His significant leap and sharpened skills deserve to be rewarded.
The Celtics will fail to maximize Mitchell Robinson if they bring him off the bench
Unfortunately for Queta, his game isn’t the only one that needs to be considered here. If the Celtics want to get the most out of Robinson, they have to start him. By ensuring that the former Knick is set up to be on the court towards the beginning of each quarter, Boston avoids the risk of finding themselves in the bonus once he checks in.
This, of course, opens the door for teams to run with the “Hack-a-Mitch” strategy. If you’re unfamiliar, opposing coaches (Joe Mazzulla used to do this a lot) instruct their players to intentionally foul Robinson and send him to the free-throw line. As a career 50.8% foul shooter, the big man can easily be turned into a weak point this way, when his game, otherwise, can be a game-breaking advantage.
Boston signed Mitch to add his elite offensive rebounding ability and strong paint presence. With him, they’ll fully be able to lean into maximizing their offensive possessions thanks to his unbelievable knack for creating second chances. Last season, the Cs ranked fifth in second-chance points with 16.9 per game.
They won’t be able to supercharge this as much if they’re worried about him missing free-throws and leaving points on the board.
Meanwhile, you can play Queta at any time. He’ll make his free throws at the end of quarters (70.3% career free-throw percentage) and doesn’t seem overly concerned with whether or not he’s the starter.
“Whoever plays, whoever doesn't play, we're really just -- I'm speaking for myself for sure, I haven't met him yet -- but I know for sure we're striving for greatness and getting the team the wins that we want,” Queta told reporters in Las Vegas last month. “That's what matters at the end of the day, and we don't want to worry -- Well, I don't want to focus on anything else.”
Add us as a preferred source on Google