Xavier Tillman's arrival means Boston Celtics two-way big unlikely to get guaranteed deal
Xavier Tillman's arrival to the Boston Celtics is good news for Joe Mazzulla, adding a highly physical enforcer-type big man to his rotation, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, because it allows them to take more breathers, and just about everyone with a vested interest in the franchise,
Everyone but one of Boston's two-way contract-holders, Neemias Queta, who may not see his deal converted to a fully guaranteed NBA pact now with the former Memphis Grizzlies bruiser's arrival, writes MassLive's Brian Robb.
"At this point, I don’t like Queta’s odds of being converted to a standard deal unless there is some kind of injury in the frontcourt," Robb prefaced before saying, "The acquisition of Xavier Tillman gives Boston some added playable depth next to Luke Kornet and Al Horford on Boston’s bench so it’s hard to envision the team cutting another player to add what would be a fifth-string center if this group is healthy. Keeping Queta on a two-way now also gives the Celtics more potential flexibility to sign him this offseason with an added year on his deal (for a standard contract)."
Neemias Queta may never get Boston Celtics contract if Xavier Tillman is re-signed in offseason
Tillman could end up being a rental considering his unrestricted free agent status this coming summer, but if Boston's front office likes what they see enough to extend him and accept the tax penalty implications, that'd likely spell the end of Queta's time with the organization.
While any Celtics fan would love to have Queta as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option in Maine, the high-flying big man has a far higher ceiling at this point than toiling away in the G-League waiting for his chance to be a temporary fill-in.
Perhaps Brad Stevens shuffles the deck and replaces Luke Kornet with Queta, but expecting that is somewhat futile considering his attachment to the Vanderbilt product.
Queta is not out of options, but the Celtics may be out as one.