What Neemias Queta signing means for Celtics roster

The Celtics began to put the finishing touches on their roster over the weekend after agreeing to a two-way deal with Neemias Queta. The former Kings center was let go by Sacramento last week after the team elected to sign veteran free agent JaVale McGee to a one-year deal.

The Kings’ loss was the Celtics’ gain as Boston filled a void on their roster with a shot-blocking big man that should bolster the team’s emergency depth in the frontcourt. Queta has been very offensively limited during his brief NBA career but he’s been a standout defensive player in the G-League, earning runner-up honors for G-League MVP last season while averaging 16.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.4 APG and 1.9 BPG in 27.7 MPG during 29 contests.

Queta will fill the final two-way slot on Boston’s roster alongside JD Davison and Jay Scrubb, serving as the only big among that trio. However, he slides into an important part of Boston’s depth chart behind a host of talented bigs with injury/age question marks

Here’s a look at Boston’s full roster as of Tuesday:

Guards: Derrick White, Jaylen Brown Malcolm Brogdon, Payton Pritchard, Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton, JD Davidson (two-way), Jay Scrubb (two-way)

Forwards: Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Oshae Brissett

Centers: Al Horford, Robert Williams, Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta (two-way)

Bringing in a younger talented big on a two-way deal should give the Celtics some flexibility as they evaluate their roster in the coming weeks. A couple of areas to consider:

Can Queta push Kornet for minutes? Kornet has defied the odds and stuck around in Boston for three-plus years since being acquired at a trade deadline deal back in 2020. He acquitted himself well as a depth big last year but still remains on a non-guaranteed deal heading into training camp next month. While Queta is unlikely to play his way into a 15-man roster spot, he could factor into the team’s rotation plans on nights when Rob Williams and/or Al Horford rest on a back-to-back if he outplays Kornet during he preseason.

Blake Griffin continues to look unlikely for training camp: Whether the veteran forward even plays at all this season is unclear at this point but Boston bringing in another big is a sign perhaps they aren’t counting on him coming aboard in the short term. The door remains open from the Celtics end per sources on a return but whether Griffin prefers to stay out west is an open question at this point. If Griffin comes back, a midseason return is a far more likely scenario.

Celtics training camp opens up at the Auerbach Center on October 3rd.