Seven months after signing a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics, former Utah State star center Neemias Queta is reportedly being signed to a multi-year contract by the very same Eastern Conference frontrunners.
Queta has played in 26 games this season, more appearances than his first two seasons — both with the Sacramento Kings — combined. With the Celtics being forced to manage minor injuries throughout the year with their main rotation bigs – Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet – Queta had a couple stretches where he played volume minutes. From Dec. 15 to Dec. 31, Queta played in nine games, averaging 16 minutes, 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. That span also included his first two career double-doubles, a 10-point, 10-rebound game against Golden State and a 14-point, 12-rebound effort against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Portuguese big man has still spent some time in the G-League as part of being a two-way player, appearing in 11 games for the Maine Celtics this year and averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in those contests.
While terms of the deal are not yet publicly known, it’s been reported by multiple insiders that the contract runs through the rest of this season and gives the Celtics a team option for the 2024-25 season, giving Boston exclusive rights to re-sign Queta or allow him to become a free agent this upcoming summer. Signing Queta to a full-time contract also allows him to be available for the Celtics’ upcoming playoff run if they choose to play him.
This is the second time Queta has been signed to a non two-way contract with an NBA team but the previous case only lasted a month. On Aug. 8, 2023, the Kings signed Queta to a preseason deal after he’d spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons on two-way contracts with Sacramento after the franchise drafted him in 2021. But on Sept. 12 the Kings released Queta who was picked up five days later by the Celtics.
