Feb 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the court beofre the game between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Celtics First Round Pick Predicted to Land in G League

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI | By Jason Fray | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Boston Celtics are in a curious spot heading into this year.

With Jayson Tatum sidelined with a torn Achilles, the team revamped considerably in the offseason. Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis are all gone from last year's squad. On the surface, one would think the team would essentially take this year to reset.

However, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown are still on the team, and based on how competitive those two are, it's unlikely to envision a scenario where the Celtics aren't at least semi-competitive.

More news: Former Celtics Forward Says His Injuries Are the Reason Jayson Tatum Became Superstar in Boston

From his parents’ basketball backgrounds to his historic Draft Combine marks – get to know Hugo Gonzalez: https://t.co/zny9Nl3DSm
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 25, 2025

This season could also provide the Celtics with a chance to further evaluate the young players currently on the team's roster. One of those is this year's first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report surveyed the NBA landscape and aimed to figure out which first round picks from this year's draft would be contributors right away. He also analyzed those that may benefit from a stint in the G League to obtain further development. Gonzalez was identified as one of the players likely needing extra time at a lower level to further work on his game.

"The Boston Celtics will want Hugo Gonzalez to get reps in the G League after he played sparingly all year for Real Madrid. At this stage, he doesn't have any one bankable skill or strength that Boston will value for their 2025-26 rotation. He is intriguing long-term for his athleticism, motor, defense and shotmaking potential. Unless Boston really falls off during this gap year with Jayson Tatum out and Krisraps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gone, though, Gonzalez figures to spend the year building back some confidence with Maine."

There's crucial context from Hugo Gonzalez's Summer League performance that was easy to miss.

While it impacted his production, it spoke highly of his competitive character. The latter matters far more as he works to validate home run swing Celtics took on him.

Story ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/eAZ9rmz0FL
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) July 25, 2025

Gonzalez is an athletic, physical wing hailing from Real Madrid. No one questions his effort on both ends of the floor. He's a dynamic player with some tools to work with.

Having said that, in Summer League action, Gonzalez struggled immensely with turning the ball over. He had the same number of turnovers (13) as he did field-goal conversions. The 19-year-old wing also struggled in shooting the ball from all areas of the floor.

Teams will play off him — daring Gonzalez to shoot rather than attack off the bounce. There are varying opinions on whether he can play right away as a rotation player. However, at the very least, there's an intriguing skill-set to further polish.

More news: Celtics Could Trade $45 Million Guard in Major Roster Shakeup: Report

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This article first appeared on Boston Celtics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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