The Boston Celtics sent Dalano Banton and Neemias Queta to their NBA G League club, the Maine Celtics, on Saturday, according to news reports. Queta and Banton both have G League experience, having played with the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors, respectively. Queta was chosen to play in the NBA G League Next Up Game in 2023. He was also chosen for the All-NBA G League First Team and the G League All-Defensive Team.
Celtics News: Dalano Sends Two Players to the G League Banton
After spending two seasons in Toronto, Banton inked a two-year contract with the Celtics in the offseason. Banton has averaged 2.7 points per game this season while playing sparingly in 19 games as a role player. However, the Canada native started one game in November against the Atlanta Hawks. Player Banton
Banton’s ability to shoot three points is by far his greatest shortcoming. The six-foot-nine point guard is shooting 18.2% from outside the arc this year. For the Celtics guard, a career 26.5% three-point shooter in the NBA, this is not shocking news, despite the small sample size of 0.6 three-point tries per game. Banton found it increasingly challenging to remain in the lineup due to his poor shooting. Additionally, Banton has filled a role akin to that of Oshae Brissett, who has performed admirably for Boston, despite the fact that they officially play different positions. Banton may have been sent to the G League in order to open up a different path that would have allowed the Celtics to give Brissett additional playing time.
Queta Neemias
It’s no secret that during his rookie campaign with the Celtics, Queta attracted some attention. Despite having a two-way contract, there is hope that he will contribute consistently to the squad. Regular playing time would always be difficult for Queta to come by with the presence of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. He appeared ready, nevertheless, to surpass Luke Kornet as the team’s backup center. Given his strong play this season, Kornet is likely to continue serving as the primary backup center for the Celtics. It appears that the Celtics trust Kornet more than Queta in this capacity, as seen by moving Queta to the G League.
Queta has averaged 4.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 14 games this season. Queta played a season-high 23 minutes on December 23, 2023, in a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. But in Boston’s ten games since this one, the big man has only made six appearances.
Final Thoughts on the Celtics News
It’s possible that Banton and Queta will return to the Celtics at some point this season. But what does this actually imply for the Celtics in the short term? It’s intriguing to see that Boston has made some roster space available, especially with the trade deadline less than a month away. Naturally, though, the time might just be coincidental. It’s also likely that the team would prefer for Banton and Queta to stay in Maine and continue growing rather than to remain benchwarmers.