Celtics Find X-Factor in Jayson Tatum’s Absence as Discontent Over Summer Exits Put to Ease

It took one moment for the Boston Celtics’ vast championship window to melt. Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon, leading to a series of changes. The Shamrocks’ front office used the summer to reorganize itself. Some veterans left the club, amplifying the effects of Tatum’s absence for the whole season. However, they recently found a bright spot.

For several European teams, the EuroBasket 2025 is an opportunity to announce themselves. Neemias Queta took it on with authority. In his tournament debut for Portugal, the Celtics backup crushed Czechia with 23 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks. It was a monumental win for Portugal and for the Celtics.

Noa Dalzell has been around the Celtics for the longest time. As a fan and a reporter, she sees Queta as being on the foundations for the Celtics in the upcoming season.

“I think Queta has shown that he brings in the NBA, a level of rebounding prowess that we have seen on the Celtics and we kind of got a glimpse of what that looks like when he plays 30 minutes in a game. when we discuss the potential range of outcomes for Boston next year, I think he’s the biggest X- factor of if he becomes a more than serviceable starting center who can give you, you know, 15 rebounds on a given night or 12 rebounds on a given night, which I think is possible, then this team might not be heading towards like the doomsday projections that many people have them going towards,” she said on the Big 3 NBA Podcast.

Queta did slow down a little bit since his fierce EuroBasket 2025 debut. However, he’s shown enough glimpses to earn an expanded role this season. With Porzingis’ exit and Horford unlikely to return, the Celtics needed a competent big man. Rather than hunting the market, Neemias Queta has shown he could provide them with the tangibles and intensity needed to uphold the Celtics’ competitive standards.

This comes as huge relief for the Celtics, who also manage to replace Jrue Holiday with Payton Pritchard.

Neemias Queta will still have to adapt

There are some ways Queta can replicate what Porzingis supplied to the Celtics. Packed with size and strength, Queta displayed his rebounding brilliance on several occasions this past season. Furthermore, his EuroBasket campaign clearly displays that he can operate as a rim protector, playing behind an aggressive defense.

In three games so far, Queta has recorded seven blocks for Portugal. However, there is still one distinct difference. The Celtics system functions heavily off shooting threes. Porzingis’ floor-stretching ability allowed the 2024 champions to execute their system. But Queta isn’t regarded as a three-point shooting center.

So far, he’s only made a single three during the EuroBasket 2025. However, he has a longing to crack the Celtics’ rotation. So during the offseason, Queta set a goal for himself.

“I think I always work on the 3s no matter what. You never know when you need one of them and like even if I’m not a great shooter off of the 3-point line, if I’m open, and I have got to shoot it, I will shoot it confidently. You never know it. I want to make them,” he said.

With Jayson Tatum out, Mazzulla might opt to use Neemias Queta’s interior prowess to generate some offense. Hence, the budding center has also set out to improve his free throws, although he shot 75% last season, a decent mark for a big man. But even with these goals, Queta will need to adjust.

He is primed to play big minutes for the first time in his young career. If he can nail it down, the Celtics could develop another star. How do you think Neemias Queta will perform next season? Let us know your views in the comments below.