Neemias Queta reveals key that could help him earn real Celtics minutes

BOSTON — The consistency the Boston Celtics are walking into next season with is staggering. After winning the title last year, they are bringing back 15 of the 17 players who were on the roster (including two-way guys). Brad Stevens pulled off a masterclass this summer, and it was headlined by re-signing Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta.

Queta is perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch from an upside perspective. He joined the Celtics ahead of last year and was eventually elevated from a two-way spot to a standard contract. This past summer, he inked a multi-year deal to remain in Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis is slated to miss a significant amount of time to start the year, meaning Queta, Tillman, and Kornet will all have to step into larger roles. And the Portuguese big man is preparing for that reality.

Neemias Queta has been working toward consistency

After Celtics practice on Friday, Queta spoke about what the coaching staff has been emphasizing with him over the summer, as well as what he wants to improve upon in order to fill in during Porzingis’ absence effectively.

“Yeah, I feel like the main thing with me is consistency,” Queta said. ‘I can go a really, really long time without having a bad game, but at the same time, I [need] good games. It's about staying consistent. Playing without fouling, getting good minutes when I'm out there, and I feel like the rest will take care of itself.”

Last season, Queta appeared in 28 games for the Celtics, playing 11.9 minutes per contest. He averaged 5.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while shooting 64.4% from the field.

He’s been working closely with Celtics assistant Tony Dobbins and player development coach Da’Sean Butler, who joined the team this summer.

“This year, I've worked a lot with Tony,” Queta said. “Tony's been really, really methodical and specific about what he wants me to get better at. I feel like we've been doing a good job at that. 

“Da'Sean has been on my back since I got here, too. So, he's just been helping me get a lot better. So, it's been an exciting couple of weeks out here.”

At just 25 years old, Queta has only been in the NBA for three seasons. He still has plenty of room to grow, and the Celtics could be counting on him to play some real minutes this year.

If he continues to remain consistent and improves in the areas that he, Dobbins, Butler, and the rest of the staff have been honing in, he should be in a great place heading into the season.