The Boston Celtics drafted Hugo Gonzalez in the first round of the 2025 draft when they could have easily addressed their frontcourt depth. Yet they clearly saw something special in the 6'7" 19-year-old wing out of Spain and put him in Green. Thanksgiving is now in the rearview, and Gonzalez has shown flashes of brilliance in extremely limited minutes, and the question is becoming impossible to ignore: Why isn't he playing more?
You can tell by the eye test, Gonzalez hustles and impacts winning, yet he hasn't played double-digit minutes since Nov. 9. It's understandable if head coach Joe Mazzulla is hesitant to throw the rookie into the fire, but that doesn't mean he can't play him more than he has been.
Hugo Gonzalez's Defensive Instincts Are Already Promising
Here's what stands out about Gonzalez: he is a tenacious defender. In his limited rookie opportunities, he's averaging 0.8 steals and 0.1 blocks on 11.0 minutes of action per game, which translates to 3.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per 100 possessions.
Gonzalez creates offensive fouls when chasing opponents around, a testament to his aggressiveness that doesn't show up in the stat sheet. He's probably the only Celtics defender who isn't consistently late on help defense. His defensive IQ is off the charts, and he's making phenomenal reads that most rookies take years to develop.
Yes, Gonzalez picks up fouls (1.7 per game), and he needs to adjust his defensive style to avoid ticky-tack calls. But the way he reacts to fouls shows he's already aware and annoyed by his mistakes. He seems like the type of player who stays in the lab, seeks guidance when needed, and finds a way to figure it out and get better year in and year out. The foundation is there, and it's rare to see a rookie with this kind of defensive awareness.
Why Isn't He Getting Minutes?
The Celtics are 11th in net rating this season, despite a down year from Derrick White and the team shooting just 35.6% from three. Mazzulla deserves credit for navigating a "gap year" while depending on young players like Gonzalez, Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh, and Luka Garza. But if this is truly a developmental season, why isn't Gonzalez getting the reps he needs to grow?
Some have suggested sending Gonzalez to Maine just to get more live reps against different schemes instead of minimal NBA minutes. That's a fair point. If he's going to sit on the bench until Boston needs a five-minute cameo, wouldn't it be better to let him dominate in the NBA G League and build confidence? But Gonzalez is already NBA-ready defensively. He's not a project that needs G League reps. He needs NBA minutes against NBA competition to refine his game.
The offensive side is where Gonzalez needs the most work, and the only way he gets better is by playing more. His defensive chops are already very impressive, but to improve offensively, he has to be on the court in real game situations, not sitting on the bench watching.
The Future Wing Tandem Is Special
Here's where things get exciting: imagine a Gonzalez/Walsh/Minott wing tandem off the bench on a contending team next year. That's probably the most dominant defensive bench trio in the league, and they're all under contract for super cheap, making a combined roughly $9 million. That's an insane amount of value if the Celtics can develop them properly.
The potential is there for a rotation that looks something like this:
- Starters: Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, (Insert expensive big man they trade for)
- Bench: Payton Pritchard, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Josh Minott, Neemias Queta
That's a deep, versatile, defensively dominant roster that can switch everything and create chaos for opposing offenses. But it only works if Gonzalez continues developing, and he can't develop without minutes.
The Opportunity Cost of Sitting Hugo Gonzalez
Right now, Hugo is stuck in limbo, too good to be a DNP candidate, but not trusted enough to play meaningful minutes.
The Celtics are in a gap year. They're not winning the championship this season. Derrick White is struggling. The roster is still figuring out how to fit together. This is the perfect time to give Hugo 15-20 minutes a night and let him learn on the fly.
If the Celtics want Hugo to be a key piece of their future, they need to invest in his development now. That means more minutes, more mistakes, and more opportunities to grow.
Mazzulla has done a great job navigating this season, but the way he's handled Hugo's minutes is worth questioning. December is here. The schedule is grueling. The rotation needs fresh legs and defensive intensity. Hugo Gonzalez can provide both. It's time to give him the opportunity he's earned.