Summer League is underway, and with it, our basketball cravings get a slight reprieve. I always look forward to this part of the offseason. And while I’m not in Vegas to enjoy the atmosphere and environment, I’m still excited to see some of the Celtics’ new recruits in action.
In previous years, I would try to break down and analyze what we saw on the court — treating it like an actual NBA game. However, I’ve learned that isn’t the optimal approach, at least not for how my brain works when watching developmental talent.
So, I’m going to try a different approach to covering Summer League this year. And, that will be to do so in note form, and then at the end of Boston’s run, to expand on those thoughts for each key member of the roster (the ones who will be with the team next season.)
Let’s dive in.
Hugo Gonzalez
For the majority of us, this was our first look at what Gonzalez can do on a basketball court. Given the nerves he likely felt, and the fact that he was playing with a new team and new teammates, I think he did quite well.
If you’ve been watching highlight footage of Gonzalez since the draft, the fact that his first bucket came via a putback was unlikely to have been much of a surprise.
Honestly, I’m expecting his ability to crash the offensive glass to be a staple of his offensive output this season. Payton Pritchard has used a similar knack to his advantage over the years, and with Gonzalez’s height and athleticism, we should see some big-time boards.
Something that did take me by surprise, though, was his off-the-dribble jumper in the second quarter. I wasn’t expecting to see him attempting threes off the bounce so early into Summer League. Still, here we are, and in truth, it looked repeatable. Ideally, the mechanics will get quicker, the pocket a little more protected, and the slight hitch on the release will smooth out.
The free-throw shooting was rough. Going 1-for-5 is never great. Still, that’s a tiny sample size, so I’m not buggin’ there. Solid work on the boards, and I liked some of his reads. Defensively, he works his tail off, fights over screens and uses those monster hands to create an eclipse for a shooter.
Final take: Solid debut. Liked what I saw. Interested to see how he fares moving forward. Very intrigued by his defense.
