Earlier this month, Neemias Queta agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract extension to remain with the Boston Celtics through the end of the 2029-30 season.
Boston Celtics 7-footer Neemias Queta will sign a new four-year, $56 million extension with the franchise, his agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells ESPN. Queta has established himself as a critical Celtics piece – from two-way contracts to averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds… pic.twitter.com/9cCvY5Lo2E
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2026
Queta inked the long-term deal after a breakout 2025-26 season. With the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet last summer, the Portuguese big man was met with a colossal opportunity -- to become the starting center for the Celtics.
He took that opportunity and ran with it. Queta impressed across 75 starts (76 total games) for Boston last season. The 27-year-old averaged career-highs across the board with 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per outing on an efficient 65.3% from the field.
Without his steady presence in the paint, there’s no way that Boston could’ve had as strong of a regular season as they did, winning 56 games and securing the Eastern Conference’s second seed. The playoffs didn’t go the way they would’ve hoped, but Queta’s development clearly impressed the team enough to lock him down for another four seasons.
It's not all about the money for Queta
The added security that accompanied his big pay day is more valuable than the money, if you ask No. 88.
“For me, the money wasn't the most important thing at all,” Queta told the Portuguese outlet, A Bola. “The most important thing was knowing that Boston believed in me for another four years. I'll be able to continue calling Boston home for that entire time, without having to look over my shoulder. Without having to worry about the next season. What I wanted or what would happen. There's uncertainty when you're a free agent. It creates certain difficulties in terms of knowing how to manage the year, injuries and everything else, and I didn't want to be thinking about that. It was very good for me and I feel flattered to have that confidence from the front office."
Queta’s traversed a long journey to get to this point. He was drafted 39th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, who waived him two years later to make room for JaVale McGee.
The Celtics decided to bring Queta in on a two-way contract ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, and he spent plenty of time in Portland playing for the Maine Celtics, who came within one win of a G-League championship that season.
Though Boston converted him off of a two-way the following season, his opportunities were still limited as part of a deep Celtics frontcourt. Still, the big man appeared in more games that year than the rest of his career combined, and it was clear that he was headed in the right direction. We all should’ve been fully prepared for the leap he took when the bulk of minutes opened up for him. Queta sure was prepared for it.
In the months leading up to this season, Queta’s continued development remains an intriguing storyline.
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