Boston needed to make a splash in this year’s NBA draft. After trading away assets like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics could use some bodies to fill in their starting five. For this purpose, the Celtics selected Hugo Gonzales, a 6’6 forward from Real Madrid. This pick should help the Celtics out, particularly in the defense department.
Gonzales brings his defensive skills to the Celtics
Hugo Gonzales made a name for himself by playing stout defense. His offensive stats don’t necessarily match up to his potential, but he’s still a decent shooter from within the arc. Gonzales shot around 27% through his career in Real Madrid, which means he won’t be shooting as many three-pointers as teammates Derrick White and Jayson Tatum. Gonzales still managed to average five points per game while scoring 151 points total in the 2024-2025 season.
Since he is a small forward, Gonzales probably won’t see much starting time as a Celtic since Jaylen Brown is also on the team. Once Brown comes off the court, though, Gonzales could be able to defend some premier opponents during the upcoming season. Boston looks to improve their bench as their recent playoff run was plagued by injury, specifically the one to superstar Jayson Tatum.
