Utah Jazz: Neemias Queta workout should be much more than a brief glance

Utah State product Neemias Queta is working out for the Utah Jazz on Saturday. And he’s a prospect that absolutely deserves close attention from Jazz brass as a potential draft selection for the team.

With the Utah Jazz long eliminated from the 2019 NBA Playoffs, while fans of the team may be enjoying watching the remaining teams to some degree, it’s more likely their focus has largely shifted towards the offseason. This summer will be a pivotal one for the Jazz as they aim to make a significant step forward in their ascent towards title contention.

And while free agency and the trade market are likely the two areas in which the Jazz will make the most exciting improvements, the draft also shouldn’t be overlooked whatsoever. The Jazz are already well on their way to getting ready for that crucial offseason date as they’ve begun hosting players for pre-draft workouts.

One such player in line for a pre-draft workout with the Utah Jazz on Saturday didn’t have to travel far to get to Salt Lake City. The man I speak of is local Utah State University standout center Neemias Queta. Queta was one of only 66 players to get an NBA Draft Combine invite and the only player from the state of Utah to receive that honor.

Without a doubt, he’s a special talent just brimming with potential. The young man out of Portugal was instrumental in Utah State’s Mountain West Conference Championship this past season and has all the physical tools to transform into an athletic and dynamic NBA center. As such, his workout with the Jazz should be much more than just a formality and he should be extended much more than just a passing glance.

The Jazz should be looking at Queta deeply and seriously as a potential pick very much worthy of their attention.

Sure, the fact that he played at Utah State and has local ties is a nice perk. That sort of thing is partially why guys like Damian Lillard and Kyle Kuzma are so beloved by Jazz fans and it kind of stings that it couldn’t have worked out for them to have an NBA career in Salt Lake City. But putting that to one side, it wouldn’t matter what team Queta had played for in college, he’s a tantalizing prospect that could be an amazing fit for the Jazz regardless.

First of all, he is absolutely oozing with NBA potential as a long and athletic six-foot-eleven, 225-pound big man. He received honors as both the Mountain West Conference’s Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the latter of which is a rare distinction for a first-year player. But Neemias absolutely deserved it as he was prolific for the Aggies.

Queta averaged just shy of 2.5 blocks per game in his lone season with Utah State and was consistently an absolute force to be reckoned with in the paint as a constant rim protector. His ability to alter shots and pressure opponents to back out of the key was other-worldly, nearly on the level of a collegiate ‘Rudy Gobert-lite’ if you will.

He’s a tremendous rebounder at 8.9 boards per game and his defensive-first mentality that earned him DPOY honors in the Mountain West would make him a perfect fit with the Utah Jazz. His reputation on that end of the floor would very likely put him quickly in the favor of head coach Quin Snyder and could earn him playing time sooner rather than later.

That’s especially true considering that Utah’s current backup center, Ekpe Udoh, is an unrestricted free agent and far from likely to return to the Jazz next season. Going deeper on the depth chart, project Tony Bradley has largely remained just that – a project. And as such, Queta may very well be more appealing for the Jazz to move into his spot and work to develop into the next rim protector extraordinaire to back up Rudy Gobert and give the Jazz 48 minutes of prolific paint defense between the two of them.

What’s even more exciting about Queta, though, is that he’s far from a one-trick pony even if defense is his strong suit. As I mentioned, he’s a hyper-athletic talent who also showed flashes of a great offensive repertoire and touch around the basket, He averaged 11.8 points per contest in his freshman season on an extremely efficient 61.4 percent shooting from the field.

Considering that he’s a big man, the average fan may be tempted to think that percentage came merely off of easy dunks or lobs, but such couldn’t be further from the truth. Queta was exceptional in the post with a variety of moves, including a reliable reverse layup beneath the rim that became nothing short of legendary among the Utah State faithful. He also has a nice shooting stroke for a player his size that with a little work could further expand his overall offensive game to another level entirely.

Obviously, at just 19 years of age, Queta has a lot to work on and a lot of ways in which he needs to grow and develop. However, his defensive game is already much more stout than one would expect of a player of his seasons, and the flashes he’s shown on offense are truly exceptional. The fact that he received a combine invite just shows how high NBA scouts are on him and how prolific they believe he can be. Despite being lesser known on the national scale, make no mistake that Neemias is a bona fide NBA talent.

So between a defensive mindset that would make him a great culture fit with the Jazz, a promising offensive game that could transform him into a dynamic frontcourt scorer, and the fact that the Jazz may very well be seeking more talent at the center spot with the futures of Udoh, Bradley and, depending what happens this summer, perhaps even Derrick Favors in question, there’s a lot to love about him being on Utah’s radar come draft time.

Not only is all that true, but with the Jazz selecting at No. 23 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Queta could very well be a realistic selection at that spot. While he isn’t to be found in every mock draft that you come across (in fact he’s still being left off many of them), several analysts have projected that Neemias could be a late first-round pick. If he continues to improve his stock at the combine and in draft workouts, right around the 23rd pick could very well be a logical spot for him.

And if such is the case, the Jazz would do well to roll the dice on a local product that’s more than just a hometown hero. He’s a stellar athlete with the potential to be an incredible fit and eventually a game-changer for the Jazz down the road as he grows and develops.

In other words, while the Jazz are known for bringing in many, many players for their pre-draft workouts and scouring the masses in search for their next diamond in the rough, having Queta in town on Saturday should be much more than just a brief glance or quick perusal to see what he can do.

Walt Perrin and the rest of the Utah Jazz player personnel staff should be viewing Queta as a player they very well should be going after and could end up with. He should be seen as not just another workout, but rather a potentially perfectly fitting prospect whose name could be called at No. 23 to bulk up Utah’s frontcourt and help prepare them for the future.

Seeing Queta in a Jazz uniform would be an absolute thrill for Aggie Alumni and Jazz fans everywhere. He still has a lot to prove, but ample time to do so. And I remain fully convinced that he would be a sensational pickup for the Jazz with their 23rd overall pick.

We’ll see in a few short weeks if the Utah Jazz brain trust feels the same way. The 2019 NBA Draft is set for Thursday, June 20th.