After an eventful night 1 of the NBA draft, we can turn our attention to night 2. The Boston Celtics picked forward Hugo González with the 28th-overall pick. The 6-foot-7 forward played with Real Madrid this past season, but played sparingly. Looking at what the Celtics should do in the second round, it seems obvious who they should be focusing on.
When looking at everyone who is available in the draft, the Celtics should target Stanford center Maxime Raynaud. The 7'0 senior averaged 20 points and almost 11 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 47% and close to 35% from 3. Raynaud also has good instincts as a passer that could be utilized similarly to how the Celtics used Luke Kornet on short rolls. The big questions with Raynaud are centered around his defensive mobility.
Maxime Raynaud is another prospect with a lot of buzz heading into tomorrow’s second round.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 26, 2025
The 7-foot stretch big has plenty of fans in NBA front offices as some scouts have thrown out fellow Stanford alum Brook Lopez as a potential ceiling outcome.pic.twitter.com/z9fYql68lF
Celtics Must Draft Maxime Raynaud in Second Round
Currently, the only centers under contract with the Celtics are Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman. While Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both free agents and could return, you need to prepare for the outcome that you'll be losing one of them, given the current cap situation.
With the recent trade of center Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics lack a stretch-five, which has been an important aspect of how head coach Joe Mazzulla has run the offense. By drafting Raynaud, you can add that wrinkle back to the offense, given his ability to shoot from deep. While he won't be able to come in and be a day one starter, Raynaud could come in off the bench and give the Celtics a different look from how the other centers on the roster play.
If the Celtics draft Raynaud in the second round, they not only add someone who could see rotation minutes in year 1, but also help add depth to the thinnest position group on the roster currently. The second round of the NBA draft begins Thursday at 8 pm on ESPN.