BOSTON — Neemias Queta tossed up threes from the corner and above the break, behind the three-point line, after Friday’s practice. Rookie Baylor Scheierman sported a new haircut, 10-15 pounds of added muscle since Summer League and both shared growth leaning Boston’s difficult defensive system.
Both agreed — only defense can get them on the floor for the Celtics.
Neither Queta nor Scheierman would play in an average scenario for the defending champions. With Kristaps Porziņģis out to start the season, Queta moves up the depth chart into his second Boston season. While Scheierman doesn’t play the five, drafted No. 30 in June as a 6-6 wing, he arrives with Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk gone as depth forwards, potentially pulling him into lineups if the Celtics want to play smaller.
“I spent a lot of time on my body (this summer),” Scheierman said. “Trying to put on a lot of lean mass … then also just working on my shot, continuing to tune up things and trying to get it off quicker. I’ve been working with Craig (Luschenat) and Sam Hauser a lot, and they’ve been giving me a lot of great tips and tricks on trying to do that in the game.”
Hauser stands firmly in front of Scheierman, who turned 24 this week, as the Celtics’ backup wing. The team drafted Scheierman envisioning a different role that could even complement Hauser into second units. Those will be more likely on rest nights or in case of injury early on despite Boston viewing Scheierman as more ready than the average rookie. When he worked out for the Celtics in 2022, they stressed that he return to college to work on his athleticism and strength. Those two questions and his age allowed him to fall to No. 30, Boston’s pick, in 2024. Those physical strides could now decide how often he plays.
Queta thrives physically, standing seven-feet and roughly 250 pounds, into his fourth NBA season. His contrast in that area to fellow backup Luke Kornet intrigued fans since the day he arrived on a two-way contract when the Kings released him nearly one year ago today. Kornet begins his fifth season with the Celtics as the favorite to backup to Al Horford night-to-night, with his knowledge of Boston’s defensive system as his chief advantage.
“(Queta) has the ability and the athleticism to be a versatile defender in whatever system we’re in,” Joe Mazzulla said on Friday. “The most important thing is getting him acclimated to the different possessions he’s going to be in and executing them over and over … he showed great signs of that…especially at the beginning of the season where he played big minutes … he has the ability to play all of (our coverages). You gotta be able to recognize matchups…recognize disadvantages, put fires out…be able to help…to recover…to communicate. They work at it every single day, except Luke’s been in the system a lot longer. He’s one of the best ones at it and Neemy’s just gotta continue to grow.”
Add Xavier Tillman Sr. to the mix, who returned on a two-year contract this summer as the Celtics’ most versatile switching big, and Queta faces an uphill battle to regular minutes. That could change. Last year, Kornet missed time, including with an east finals wrist injury that required offseason surgery. Tillman Sr. said his left knee swelled up regularly after games last year, addressing it with a procedure in July. Both are healthy to begin camp. Queta, unlike last year when he arrived coming off a stress fracture in his foot, has been healthy all summer. Following his recovery early last season, he posted 16.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes in his spot appearances with others out and late in already decided games.
The center is the most important position in Mazzulla’s defense, which built on concepts that Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka built. They often drop. Queta showed flashes of staying in front of quicker perimeter players while switching, and most intriguing, he played the roaming position that Robert Williams III used to during Summer League while DJ MacLeay and his staff searched for a defensive role that suited Queta better. Given the success Horford and Queta shared on the floor together last year (+23.3 net rating, 104.7 def. rating, 61 minutes), there’s a chance Queta could fit away from the basket while Horford handles pick-and-rolls with back line help. Fouling, committing 5.4 per 36 minutes, remains Queta’s biggest challenge on that end.
“A lot of new (things were) thrown around to me,” Queta said on Friday. “I feel like I adjusted pretty well (in Summer League). I wish I played a little more so I could get more into the rhythm…we just gotta rep it out during this time…it’s starting to become second nature for sure.”
The Celtics’ defense changes almost constantly. Even Porziņģis needed time to acclimate to how often they change who’s guarding who, what coverage the center plays in and where help will come from. Kornet, while typically staying back at the rim, has covered ground against the pick-and-roll, positioned himself in the right angles and used his size effectively to deter shots at the rim. Given his lack of switching prowess, they’ll hand off assignments on the back line, usually forcing the team’s perimeter defenders to switch. The Celtics also regularly play away from the opponent’s worst shooter to make it all work.
That’s where Scheierman comes in, whose mix of shooting, rebounding and passing skills make him a dazzling offensive prospect and strong fit in what Boston wants to do on that end. He’ll become a target defensively, though, something the Celtics have wanted to avoid. In camp, he’s felt stronger with his added weight when teammates trying to back him down. When the games begin, they’ll put him in actions, make him move and test whether he can survive or if Boston will need to scheme or try to hide him to get him on the floor right away. If not, Maine likely awaits in November, where Hauser honed his defensive skills.
“Baylor … he’s a good shooter, but he’s a lot more than a shooter,” Hauser said. “He’s got a good feel for the game, he’s pretty crafty. The best thing I can do is try to help him in this first year and help him with any opportunities he gets on the floor, or if he gets opportunities in Maine, whatever it may be for him … he’s a really good player and he’s got a good feel for things and I think he’s got a good future in this league.”
