The Boston Celtics have significantly reshaped their frontcourt, agreeing to a four-year, $56 million contract extension with center Neemias Queta and acquiring veteran Mitchell Robinson. These moves come in the wake of a blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Queta's extension is fully guaranteed and begins in the 2027-28 season, with the Celtics having already exercised his $2.67 million team option for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign. The 7-foot Queta established himself last season as a key rim protector and interior defender, playing a crucial role in Boston's second-place finish in the Eastern Conference. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 65.3 percent from the field over 76 games. His performance earned him a fourth-place finish in the NBA Most Improved Player voting.
Robinson arrives in Boston after eight seasons with the New York Knicks. The 7-foot center was a notable offensive rebounder and rim protector when healthy for New York. His deal with the Celtics is for three years and $47 million. The Knicks' decision to move Robinson is reportedly tied to their unwillingness to exceed the second apron of the salary cap and incur its associated penalties.
These frontcourt additions suggest a strategic shift for the Celtics, emphasizing interior defense and rebounding. The team aims to ensure a strong presence in the paint with either Robinson or Queta on the floor at all times, a strategy being implemented in the post "Jays" era following the departure of Jaylen Brown.
The trade that sent Brown to Philadelphia involved Paul George and a collection of draft picks, including two first-round and two second-round selections. Brown's decade-long tenure in Boston concluded despite his strong individual performance in the 2025-26 season, where he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, carrying the offensive load after Jayson Tatum’s season-ending Achilles injury in the 2025 playoffs. Brown, a five-time All-Star, had faced public scrutiny regarding his advanced analytics, with some in the analytics community questioning his overall impact relative to his accolades, which include a 2024 NBA Finals MVP award and a sixth-place finish in the 2026 regular season MVP voting.