Hugo Gonzalez is a special talent. He showed flashes last season (particularly on the defensive side of the ball, regularly making hustle plays and going one-on-one against some of the best in the game), and he's looking great in summer league.
Gonzalez is only 20 years old and still has a ton of time to grow. And for him to look this good already should get Celtics fans excited about what his future could look like.
But there's still one glaring weakness in his game that he needs to address to take it to the next level and become a real contributor in Boston: his jumpshot.
Hugo Gonzalez needs to improve his shooting
The Spanish native wasn't a good shooter entering the draft (28.1 3FG% on 1.3 attempts in three seasons with Real Madrid), he wasn't much of a shooter as a rookie (36.2 3FG% but just 1.6 attempts per game), and he hasn't been a good shooter in summer league (31.8 FG% on 14.7 attempts, 25.9 3 FG% on 9 attempts).
Gonzalez isn't much of a shot-creator yet, but the Celtics don't need him to be. He's going to be in their rotation next year because of everything else he can do (defend, pass, playmake, just be an all-around team player), but he can turn into a negative on the court real quick if he can't find his shot, especially in Joe Mazzulla's system.
He still has a lot of time and should have plenty of opportunities to work on his jumpshot and become at least a reliable shooter. Boston has a track record of turning less-than-stellar shooters into at least average ones (Luka Garza, Josh Minott, and Jordan Walsh. And if we want to go further back a little bit: Jaylen Brown, Avery Bradley, and, to an extent, Marcus Smart). But until that happens, it's going to be a huge weakness in his game that he will need to figure out.
Hugo Gonzalez should still be a great player for the Celtics anyway
It seems like just about everybody in the modern NBA needs to be a respectable shooter to be successful, and there is some truth to that. But shooting is just one aspect of the game. If you can contribute in other areas at a high level, you should be able to establish yourself as a real asset.
And that's where Gonzalez finds himself right now. He may not have his jumpshot yet, but there's no denying he can play.
Gonzalez is already an NBA-level defender with impressive passing and playmaking skills after just one season. He is also incredibly athletic and has a high motor. A lot of his weaknesses at this stage are fixable, so there are reasons to feel confident in his long-term outlook. Either way, Gonzalez is a baller, and he should be an important part of the Celtics' success for years to come.
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