Establishing who the top players are is key to a team's identity, and for the Boston Celtics, there isn't much room for debate.
Stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday should lead the way for the Celtics this season. Guard Derrick White and veteran center Al Horford will also serve as potential starters who've proven their reliability over the years.
Outside of those seven names though, things aren't as clear for the Celtics. The bench depth they once had was sacrificed for more high-end talent, leaving plenty of room for a newer face to step up. But, who will be the surprise player in Beantown this year?
Let's delve into a potential breakout talent for the Celtics who will shock the world during the 2023-24 NBA season.
Celtics center Neemias Queta can shock the world
During Boston's season opener versus the New York Knicks, the bench wasn't much of a factor.
The aforementioned top players got most of the minutes and put together a gritty win on the road at Madison Square Garden. While center Luke Kornet, sharp-shooter Sam Hauser, and point guard Payton Pritchard all had a few minutes of opportunity, none really made the most of it.
In fact, Kornet went scoreless and was looking far from dominant on the glass against the Knicks. With his poor debut, there could be a window for another Celtics big to steal some minutes.
Enter Neemias Queta, the first Portuguese NBA player ever and a current Celtic with a non-guaranteed deal. While he's far from a household name, he showed out in preseason. Over the course of five games, he attempted 16 shots and made 13 of them, and that was all without receiving more than 14 minutes in a single outing.
Queta thrived in the little time on the court he had, putting up an especially impressive 12 points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes during Boston's final preseason contest. Even though a center making most of their shots isn't shocking, he undoubtedly outplayed Kornet despite not having as many minutes.
If Queta is able to establish himself in Boston, perhaps he can move up in the depth chart and be a more consistent backup behind Horford. While Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla might not play his bench as much to start the season—as Boston had a tough matchup against the Knicks and has an even harder one against the Miami Heat on Friday night—maybe Queta will get a shot on Monday against the Indiana Pacers.
Queta could also spend some time in Maine with Boston's G-League affiliate. He's currently on a two-way contract but does have NBA experience under his belt, as he played in 20 games over two seasons with the Sacramento Kings. The 24-year-old didn't have a ton of time to shine in California, however, he showed potential as an efficient presence in the paint who can use his size to rebound.
Whether or not Neemias Queta becomes more of a presence in Boston remains to be seen, yet if Mazzulla wants to take some of the regular season workload off of the 37-year-old Horford, Queta could be up for the task. Regardless, the Lisbon native probably won't make an appearance quite yet, but he should be someone to look out for during the 2023-24 regular season.
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