It may be the NBA offseason, but this league has become 24/7/365 in recent years, and that continues to be the case this summer. Hugo Gonzalez has been in the news recently as his name came up in trade rumors for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with the Celtics reportedly being unwilling to include the young Spaniard in their offer.
The Celtics and Hugo were clowned by many fans and media members, acting like this was a ridiculous line in the sand despite the nuance and context around the situation. Furthermore, that line of criticism was insulting to Gonzalez and dismissive of his impact for the Celtics in limited minutes as a rookie.
Well, Hugo will have a chance to prove himself with a bigger target than ever on his back this summer, as it was announced that Gonzalez has been added to Spain’s national team roster and will play in the team’s FIBA World Cup Qualifiers on July 2nd and 5th against Denmark and Georgia.
Bobby Manning of CLNS also reported that Gonzalez plans to join the Celtics for the Las Vegas Summer League, which starts on July 9th. That’s a lot of basketball in a short amount of time, with a lot of travel mixed in, and it’s a great opportunity for Hugo to go out and show the work he has put in and the strides he has made as a player.
Gonzalez’s Summer League stint should be brief one
While it will be exciting for Celtics fans to watch Hugo and a potentially loaded young Celtics summer league squad, Gonzalez’s playing time should be short-lived. He proved himself as a rookie, and his spot in the rotation and place in the league should be absolutely secure.
He may just be 20 years old, but he’s quickly becoming a known commodity. There’s no reason for him to be out there in Las Vegas, playing against guys who are fighting for roster spots and a place in the league.
It’s encouraging that Gonzalez wants to play, but this trip should be more of a formality. He can show up, make some plays, show that he is too good for the competition, and be put on ice to cheerlead for his (mostly) older teammates. That’s the status that Hugo has earned, and the Celtics shouldn’t take any unnecessary chances with their promising young asset.
They showed how much they valued him in trade talks already this offseason. Now it’s time for actions to speak louder than words and make sure that the second-year pro gets the star treatment when he shows up to Vegas Summer League, fresh off of playing for one of the best international teams in the world.
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