Reporter Makes Case For Celtics’ Rookie To Enter Starting Lineup
The starting forward position is a revolving door at the moment
Hugo Gonzalez joined the Boston Celtics with the 28th selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. The rookie forward had spent the past two years developing his game with Real Madrid, so he was well primed for the challenges that come with professional basketball.
Still, Gonzalez is outpacing expectations during the opening months of his rookie season. His ability to guard multiple positions, rebound in traffic, and play with what appears to be an endless motor has earned him legitimate playing time in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation.
Over the Celtics’ last two games, both wins against the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers, Gonzalez has been among the team’s most important players. He’s come off the bench to provide an energetic spark and physical presence on both sides of the ball.
During a recent episode of CLNS Media’s “The Garden Report,” Bobby Manning suggested that we could see Gonzalez slide into Boston’s starting lineup if he continues to make an impact off the bench.
“It’s an open competition for any starting spot on this team, maybe save for Brown and White. You saw in this game that Hugo can make an impact and even exceed expectations, especially in the rebounding department…A career high, 11 rebounds for Hugo tonight. He also set a career high the other night in Toronto; that was 10. He set a career high in minutes tonight. So he’s just kind of like, Jordan Walsh had that week where he was just setting new career highs every night and topping the performance thing before that’s what Hugo is doing right now.”
Mazzulla has been willing to reward some of the team’s younger players for their off-the-bench performances. Both Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott have earned stretches in the starting lineup for that exact reason.
Gonzalez is proving to be a shrewd draft-night addition who looks capable of becoming a key part of the rotation for years to come. However, he may need to sustain his current production for a bit longer before Boston moves him into the starting unit. After all, he’s still adapting to a new league, language, way of life and team.
