The Boston Celtics are in a strange spot early on this offseason. After missing out on a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the C’s pivoted and opted for flexibility, trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for a surprisingly minimal return. And somehow, the guy who has ended up being at the center of all these rumors is second-year combo guard Hugo Gonzalez.
As a rookie, Gonzalez quickly proved himself to be a valuable two-way player off the bench for head coach Joe Mazzulla. However, some folks were surprised to see the team balked at the prospect of including Gonzalez in their trade package for Antetokounmpo. The Celtics clearly have big plans for Gonzalez, which is why their decision on his Summer League status has caught fans’ attention.
Celtics Add Hugo Gonzalez to Summer League Roster
The Celtics selected Gonzalez with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he didn’t have many expectations right off the bat. While he played at a high level in Spain for Real Madrid, Gonzalez was still viewed as a very raw prospect who was going to need some time to develop behind the scenes.
Instead, Gonzalez played for Boston early and often last season. His numbers aren’t wildly impressive (3.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.5 APG, 47.6 FG%), but he played with the sort of energy that made him an important sparkplug off the bench for Mazzulla. You can make an argument that, had Gonzalez played more in the playoffs, the C’s would have managed to get past the Sixers.
It certainly was not unreasonable for the Bucks to ask for Gonzalez as part of their deal for Antetokounmpo, but Boston curiously opted to not include him in its trade offer. That has inadvertently put quite a bit of pressure on Gonzalez, as he’s going to be tied to this deal for years to come. The Celtics will get their first look at Gonzalez ahead of the new campaign during their Summer League action, as the team added him to their roster.
“The last roster to be added was the Celtics, who have Hugo Gonzalez playing in Summer League, the guy they wouldn’t give up for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Boston is expecting big things from Gonzalez entering Year 2,” Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints wrote in a post on X.
Celtics Expecting Big Things from Hugo Gonzalez
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 05: Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics dunks and scores against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at the TD Garden on December 05, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
It’s pretty clear that, with Brown gone, there are going to be some more minutes up for grabs in Boston moving forward. Gonzalez alone isn’t going to be able to replace the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, but considering how the team felt strongly enough about him to be unwilling to move him for Antetokounmpo, it’s clear he’s going to have a shot to earn a bigger role immediately.
Gonzalez is still only 20 years old, so he has plenty of room to grow as he finds his way in the pros. Jayson Tatum will be coming back to help fill Brown’s void, but he’s going to need guys to step up alongside him. If all goes according to plan, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gonzalez carve out an even bigger role with the Celtics during his second year in the league.
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