So, now what? The Boston Celtics took fans and observers on a wild ride this past season, and landed with a thud–the team blew a 3-1 series lead in the first round against the Sixers, and now face an offseason that suddenly looks more daunting than it first appeared. Rumors have bubbled up that star guard Jaylen Brown is unhappy with the organization, and after he took a run as an MVP candidate in 2025-26, he could well be reluctant to hand the franchise mantle back to Jayson Tatum, who has recovered from an Achilles tendon tear.
That issue will sit over the Celtics all summer, and the team will weigh whether that means it should trade Brown or keep him.
But beyond that, the Celtics have plenty of decisions to be made. They have a small window of flexibility below the luxury tax, and the first big decision is whether the goal is to stay under the tax and get out of their status as a “repeater” (they finished below the tax in 2025-26, and need to do it again to get off the “repeater” list).
The second big decision–and it relates to the first–is what to do in the middle, where Neemias Queta had a breakout season, but also showed limitations in the postseason.
Neemias Queta Had a Breakout Year
Queta was a big-time find by Celtics team president Brad Stevens, and he was developed into a starting-caliber player over the past two years. He played a career-high 25.2 minutes and averaged 10.2 points with 8.4 rebounds, and started 75 games, remaining in that role even after the Celtics acquired Nikola Vucevic by trade.
The Celtics have a choice with Queta–they have a team option worth $2.7 million for next year. They could choose not to exercise that and, instead, give Queta an extension starting next year. But the Celtics can wait on the extension by picking up the option and working an extension from there.
One league executive asked by Heavy Sports projected Queta’s next contract at “$37 million or so over three years.”
Celtics to Pick Up Option, Extend Neemias Queta?
Former Nets executive Bobby Marks, now with ESPN, sees the Celtics going that route–$2.7 million next year on the team option and something like $37 million after that, for a total of about $40 million.
Said Marks on an ESPN video after the Celtics were eliminated: “You can decline the option and reward him with a new contract. The only way you are declining the option is if have a handshake agreement. However, his number is at least $10 million, $10-11 million (per year), I would think, maybe even a little bit more. Then, that loses the flexibility that you would have had there.
“If I were the Celtics, I would exercise the option, pick it up and then before I did that, I would have worked out an extension with him.”
Celtics Still Have a Big Man Problem
The problem that could arise is that Queta showed vast improvement last season, but the Celtics can’t quite be sure he is the answer long-term in the middle. He is not a shooter–he is 1-for-11 from the 3-point line in his career–and the Celtics like to play 5-out when they can. Luka Garza can provide shooting, but the Celtics lose some defense and rebounding when he is on the floor.
Most likely, the Celtics will seek to find a center in the draft this June, and stick with the Queta-Garza combo, while also scouring for another low-cost option that they could potentially bring along.
Celtics Expected to Make $40 Million Move on Breakout Big Man