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When the Boston Celtics acquired Nikola Vučević at February’s NBA trade deadline, it gave them options.
Adding Vučević provided Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla the flexibility to lean on the two-time All-Star, roll with a double-big lineup, or bring him off the bench behind Neemias Queta — the plan Boston has used to acclimate Vooch. But the Anfernee Simons–Chicago Bulls swap in the final 48 hours before the deadline has not only benefited Vučević, now in a contending environment, and Boston’s need for frontcourt depth; it’s also gone a long way for Queta’s breakout campaign as a first-year starter.
“It’s been huge,” Queta told reporters following Tuesday night’s win over the Phoenix Suns, per CLNS Media. “I’m trying to pick his brain every day, trying to figure out how I can get better with my game as well. Credit to him — I think he’s been a great addition in terms of spacing the floor, being able to be a threat down low. He’s going to rebound for sure, too. He’s going to be key for us late in the season, and we’re still trying to figure out a couple of things with him — how to get him in his best spots, and he’s trying to get loose too.”
Vučević has only been around for six games, and Queta isn’t squandering the opportunity of sharing a locker room with the 15-year veteran’s expertise.
For the first 52 games of the season, Queta was on his own. Chris Boucher, a nine-year veteran and two-time champion, joined the Celtics but fizzled out of the rotation early before a deadline trade to the Utah Jazz. With only six games of prior starting experience, Queta was elevated from his usual backup role in response to the offseason departures of Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, becoming Joe Mazzulla’s starting center. It marked the first true opportunity of Queta’s career, and easily the most challenging.
So as soon as Vučević entered Boston’s locker room for the first time, Queta spotted an avenue, and he wasn’t going to pass it up.
Vučević spent nine years with the Orlando Magic and his six most recent seasons in Chicago, fortifying himself as one of the league’s most skilled perimeter big men. Over the years, he was frequently linked to Boston in trade rumors, and each time landed in Beantown to face the Celtics, fans across the city made their desire clear — offering warm welcomes and not-so-subtle invitations to join the fold, even though it took until his age-35 season for that desire to come to fruition.
In his prime, Vučević was an automatic double-double, capable of averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds. Today, he remains one of the league’s best at spacing the floor and knocking down the three-ball, but it’s the finer details of Vučević’s game that Queta has been eyeing for years.
Now, Queta has the luxury of working alongside Vučević daily, seeing it all up close.
“Being able to seal guys off, how he can be a threat down low, how he can make quick moves down there in the paint, in the post, and just how much more effective I can be,” Queta explained. “Just picking his brain on anything.”
Queta made his 53rd start in 54 appearances this season on Tuesday night in Phoenix. He scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, recording his second consecutive double-double for the first time in his career. His performance wasn’t beyond what Queta has proven capable of as a full-time starter, but it was an extension of the player he’s been before Vučević arrived — eager to learn and ready to step up wherever the team needs him.
“(He’s) curious about the details, wants to get better, understands what he has to do to help us win games, and takes pride in that,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media.
That attitude will be most beneficial as Queta logs big, meaningful minutes while Vučević serves as both a teammate and a reliable shoulder to lean on. Whether in practice, on off-days, or during games, Queta can look to Vučević as a source of guidance straight from an expert’s perspective.
What began as a daunting task for Queta has become an ideal situation for the 26-year-old. He’s been a vital part of the retooled Celtics offense, particularly when running the Spain pick-and-roll, and has quietly eased Boston’s frontcourt concerns. Replacing Porziņģis, Horford, and Kornet is no small task, but the promotion has paid off, and now having Vučević in the mix is somewhat of a reward that could pay dividends for Queta over time.
Boston’s fourth straight victory, without Jaylen Brown, was just the latest indicator of his ascension.
“That’s a sign of the consistency that he’s playing with,” Mazzulla told reporters. “That’s the growth of a guy — when you can earn being counted on every night — and he’s earned that. We know, heading into every game, that we can count on him. So it’s a credit to him.”
Queta isn’t looking to put a cap on his potential development.
This season was penciled in as a bridge year for Queta to get his feet wet, but that’s no longer the prevailing sentiment. Boston is flourishing, as is Queta, and expectations have been restored, pushing the Celtics back into the conversation as contenders. He’s no longer viewed as an easy-to-pull-for underdog thrown into a tough situation. Queta has been legit, and he’s been legit throughout the season’s entirety. If anything, he’s underrated when compared with the rest of the league’s starting centers, and little by little, he’s continuously changing the narrative around him.
“I feel like I’ve taken strides in so many different aspects of my game,” Queta told reporters. “And there’s so much more I can get better at. I don’t wanna pinpoint just one thing. I feel like it’d be a disservice to all the stuff I’m getting better at. By thinking, ‘Oh, this is the biggest thing I’ve done,’ I’d be shortchanging what’s coming next. I’m still hungry, and I still wanna keep on getting better.”