Neemias Queta pushed himself to the limit; now he's eager to reap the rewards

Neemias Queta watched this summer as Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet walked out the door. Those departures, combined with the Boston Celtics needing to gain flexibility after consecutive campaigns over the second apron, rocketed him up the depth chart.

The seven-foot-center enters opening night against the Philadelphia 76ers as a member of Boston's starting lineup. When he walks onto the TD Garden parquet for tip-off, there to confront him immediately will be former league MVP Joel Embiid.

Fortunately, EuroBasket provided Queta an ideal environment to prepare for the opportunities that will come his way on opening night and throughout the upcoming season.

There, Queta battled with Nikola Jokic, Alperen Sengun, and Kristaps Porzingis. While sharpening his craft against some of basketball's most skilled centers, the Lisbon, Portugal, native helped his country reach the Knockout Round at EuroBasket for the first time in team history.

Now, after all of the work that he put in this offseason, losing weight, getting in better condition, and honing his talent on the court, the time to reap the rewards of that effort has finally arrived.

"A long summer. Been working hard, as hard as I could," Queta told Hardwood Houdini after the final practice at the Auerbach Center before opening night. "I'm just excited about the opportunity we got in front of us. New group. We're playing fast, we're playing athletically, so I'm excited for what the challenges of the year may bring."

Circumnavigating a hole in Neemias Queta's game

Behind the scenes, the 26-year-old center works tirelessly on his three-point shot. One day, this author believes that he will at least develop into a reliable low-volume option on kickouts to the corner. Perhaps that happens this season.

Even if it doesn't, the Celtics have a blueprint to work around that. Luke Kornet entered the NBA as a floor-spacing seven-footer. His game evolved offensively when Boston focused on capitalizing on his abilities as a screener, facilitator, especially when rolling to the basket, and his reliability at finishing around the rim.

Expecting Queta to perform immediately at the level Kornet did last year is unfair and unrealistic. However, the former can function within that same role.

His screening can free up shooters like Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Anfernee Simons. It can also create a path for Boston's primary ball handlers, most notably, Jaylen Brown, to attack downhill.

Queta can slot cut for points at the rim and offensive rebounds. Whether he's cutting or rolling to the basket after a pick, he is a threat to finish above the rim. His size and athleticism make him a vertical spacer. One that won't just feast on lobs, but create clean looks for his teammates because of the attention he demands when diving to the cup. He is also an underrated passer, and his ability to learn quickly lends itself to growing within the job description Kornet filled admirably.

And when his opportunities from behind the arc arrive, he has put in the work to shoot with confidence, not hesitation.

Watching Queta develop in his fifth NBA season will be fascinating to monitor. He has a chance to prove he is not just a stopgap, but someone worthy of being the Celtics' starting center for years to come. Even if that doesn't happen, he is someone who should benefit immensely from his increased opportunities this year.