Boston Celtics: Hugo Gonzalez in Line for Rookie Role

The Boston Celtics enter the 2025-26 NBA season in drastically different light.

The team is just one year removed from having won an NBA title with one of the top cores in the NBA. But has now offloaded multiple win-now pieces in favor of financial flexibility, and will be without superstar Jayson Tatum — likely for the entire season — due to an Achilles’ injury suffered last postseason.

Boston still has talented pieces in Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and more, but there’s little question they’ll be less competitive they have been the last few years. With that being the case, the Celtics could look to infuse their lineups with youth for the first time in years, starting with rookie Hugo Gonzalez. 

Drafted at No. 28, the 6-foot-6 wing was previously thought of to be one of the top prospects in the class, thriving in the international spotlight the last few years. Despite that, he didn’t show enough growth over the past season with Real Madrid to warrant continued lottery looks. He saw a minimal role and his statistics weren’t eye-catching, but his projection as a suave wing who can offer a variety of skills still earned him a first-round grade with Boston.

Gonzalez is a jumbo handler who’s yet to refine his offensive attack. But at his best he should be able to command the rock and score at all three levels. Had he landed with other teams, the wing likely would’ve been a bench stash as he worked through early-career woes. But Boston will likely have legitimate rotational minutes to offer him next season given the team’s new look.

In the least, Gonzalez should offer a solidly built wing capable of handling the ball, energetic defense, connective passing and downhill scoring in moderation. There’s little chance he’ll be able to initiate NBA offense as a frosh, but he should be able to work off-ball roles before trying to add to his game later.

The C's should have numerous players capable of initiating, giving the rookie space to hone his perimeter prowess. To this point, his 3-point shooting is moderately unproven. While he's mechanically sound, the ball hasn't found its way into the basket at an efficient clip just yet.

Boston will need to take a new approach next season. The Eastern Conference has quickly closed the gap near the top, and without Tatum the team has little chance of repeating. While playing a rookie major minutes wont be conducive to success next year, it could benefit the organization in the long run.