The narrative around Neemias Queta shifted dramatically in the span of a few weeks. From an unlikely breakout star anchoring the NBA’s best defense to a lightning rod for criticism following a rocky postseason, the Portuguese big man now sits at the center of one of the Celtics’ most consequential offseason dilemmas.
By nearly every advanced metric, Queta was one of the five-to-ten best defensive players in the league during the 2025-26 regular season. After spending the previous year largely outside the rotation, he stepped into the starting center role from day one and delivered. The Celtics boasted one of the league’s stingiest defenses with Queta patrolling the paint, and his impact was impossible to ignore for those watching closely.
Yet when the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive teams were announced, Queta’s name was conspicuously absent. Out of 100 voters, he received just seven votes — one First-Team and six Second-Team selections. While teammate Derrick White earned First-Team honors, the omission of the Celtics’ starting center raised eyebrows across the league.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team.
The numbers tell a compelling story. According to ESPN’s Dean Oliver, Queta ranked third in the NBA in defensive net points, trailing only Defensive Player of the Year frontrunners Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. He also led the entire Eastern Conference in individual defensive rating. For a player who entered the season as a virtual unknown, this was a stunning emergence.
The Postseason Reality Check
Queta’s playoff performance, however, told a different story. In his first real taste of postseason basketball, the 27-year-old struggled with foul trouble and the heightened speed and physicality of playoff intensity. His limitations were exposed in ways they rarely were during the regular season, leading to widespread scrutiny and questions about his long-term fit as a starting center on a championship contender.
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Those struggles have now created a brutal decision for Boston’s front office. Do they view Queta’s playoff stumble as evidence he is not the long-term answer at center, or do they treat it as the expected growing pains of a first-year starter thrust into the spotlight?
Why the Celtics Should Still Believe
The case for patience and belief in Queta remains strong. This was his first season as a consistent rotation player, let alone a starter. He appeared in 77 games, averaging 10.2 points and 8.3 rebounds while providing elite rim protection for the league’s best team at deterring shots at the rim. Finding a legitimate starting center “off the scrap heap,” as Queta essentially was, is rare in today’s NBA.
Abandoning him after one difficult playoff series would border on malpractice. Every young player, especially at the center position, needs time to adjust to playoff basketball. The physical toll, the schematic adjustments by opponents, and the mental leap from regular-season games to May and June basketball cannot be understated.
Boston already possesses a strong defensive foundation with Queta and Derrick White. Moving on from their starting center so quickly risks disrupting chemistry that took time to build. While adding center depth, a stretch big, or a more versatile defender would be ideal, Queta has already proven he can be a foundational piece.
The Path Forward
The Celtics face a genuine dilemma. They can chase upgrades in free agency or via trade — a move that might signal a lack of faith in Queta’s development — or they can double down on the “treasure” they’ve uncovered and invest in his growth.
Queta’s regular-season dominance was no fluke. His ability to anchor a top-tier defense as a rim protector in drop coverage provided exactly what championship contenders need from the five spot. With continued refinement, particularly in lateral mobility, foul management, and expanding his offensive game, he has the tools to become a long-term solution in Boston.
The playoffs stumble was a setback, not a defining verdict. For a player who came from nowhere to earn a starting role on a perennial title favorite, the trajectory remains remarkably promising.
As the Celtics map out their offseason plans, they must weigh short-term fixes against long-term potential. In Neemias Queta, they may already have something far more valuable than many realize — a defensive cornerstone in the making. The brutal decision now is whether they’re willing to trust the process or chase something shinier.
The smart money says Boston’s “treasure” deserves the chance to prove himself again.