LAS VEGAS -- Everyone saw the reports that the Boston Celtics refused to include Hugo Gonzalez in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Whether those reports are entirely true -- and whether it was the right line to draw in the sand -- are now arguments of the past.
Living through hindsight is a fruitless endeavor. The past cannot, and will not, be changed. On Wednesday night, the Celtics took down the Sacramento Kings, earning an 82-76 victory to finish 3-1 in Summer League (with what will likely be one consolation game remaining). And Gonzalez showed flashes of why the Celtics may regard him as highly as they do.
The Spanish wing finished the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal while shooting 8-of-18 from the floor and 3-of-9 from behind the 3-point arc. The efficiency wasn't ideal, but Gonzalez put his skills on display.
"Sometimes it's gonna fall, sometimes it's not gonna fall. It's just something that I need to know," Gonzalez said. "Obviously, something that I need to work on, and it's an emphasis point in my career. But I just need to know that sometimes it's going to be great, sometimes it's going to be not that good, but I just got to keep trusting the work."
The most important takeaway from Gonzalez's performance on Wednesday night was the potential translation. Everything he did against the Sacramento Kings looked translatable to what he could be doing in the NBA next season.
Gonzalez could be staring down a major role in Boston next year. In trading Jaylen Brown, the Celtics placed a massive gamble on their depth, and Gonzalez is a focal point of that depth. And according to Summer League head coach Amile Jefferson, everything Gonzalez has been doing in Vegas should carry over to Boston.
"I think just being himself. Obviously, we're asking him to be himself in a bigger role, but we're not asking him to do anything that I don't think he can do every time he steps foot on the court," Jefferson said. "That's pressure the ball, press when he gets the chance, be a playmaker. That's crash every time. If he's open, shoot it, move the ball, and screen. That's what we're going to ask him to do with the Celtics, too. And just make players better. And I think he did that today just at a really high level. And I've been saying this all week. We're better when he plays, and so I'm super happy he got to play today, and he showed why he's a really talented young player."
Wednesday night was about the rebounding. The ball-handling. The diverse scoring profile. The audacity of a few of his 3-point attempts. Gonzalez was leaving everything on the court. But ironically, his most important trait isn't necessarily a tangible one.
Boston's game against Sacramento wasn't exactly straightforward. Heading into the night, the Celtics were 2-1. So were a bunch of other teams around the league. During Summer League, only four teams make the playoffs. And after overall record and head-to-head matchup, the tiebreaker is point differential.
So, the Celtics didn't just need to win. They needed to win big. Boston was up by 16 points late in the fourth, but they blew it. Led by Massachusetts native Alex Karaban, the Kings fought back, ruining the Celtics' chances at a playoff birth.
It's just Summer League. A week from now, these games won't matter. But it mattered to Gonzalez. When the Kings made their fourth-quarter comeback, he was visibly distraught, crouching over on the court.
"Yeah, we tried. We tried our best," Gonzalez said post-game, still upset with himself. "Obviously, it was something that we knew that we needed to do. We had two wins and one loss, and when we thought that we're gonna-- When we were up 15. I think we got... And it's on me, especially, and the players. We thought that we could go for 25, and they [cut into] the difference, and it was a tie game. Sadly, we can't compete for the tournament, but we will still be focused on the next game. "
That competitive fire is what makes him such a special player. It doesn't matter if it's Summer League, the playoffs, or a pick-up game at The Auerbach Center, Gonzalez wants to win. And he wants to win by any means necessary.
© Thomas Shea
Milos Uzan
Race for the two-ways
Barring another big-time trade (which seems unlikely at this point), the Celtics' roster is pretty much set heading into next season. They released Dalano Banton, putting them just below the luxury tax line, a threshold they'll probably stay under this year. But they still have two two-way slots open.
Amari Williams re-upped with Boston on a two-way, but that leaves two spots open. So far, Summer League has provided a perfect stomping ground for initial tryouts. And the Celtics are fielding some stiff competition.
The obvious frontrunner right now is Dillon Mitchell. He was out on Wednesday night for rest purposes, but the second-round rookie has looked great in Vegas. Right now, it feels like there's even a chance Mitchell could land a standard deal. If not, though, he'll be on a two-way.
Behind Mitchell are two clear answers for Boston's two two-way slots: John Tonje and Milos Uzan. Tonje ended last season on a two-way with Boston and even earned a 10-day at one point. Meanwhile, Uzan inked an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics after going undrafted.
"It was just a great opportunity," Uzan said. "I feel like I'm a pretty good point guard, and I feel like that's what they needed, especially on the Summer League team as well. So, I feel like I got a good shot and a good opportunity here, and I'm just trying to make the most of it, honestly."
Uzan has been putting on an impressive display in Vegas. His ball pressure has been shining, and the 3-point shot looks clean. But the most impressive skill he's brought to the table is his game management.
When Gonzalez hasn't had the ball, Uzan has been Boston's best offensive organizer. And sometimes, he's even been better than Gonzalez. His high-assist, low-turnover, calming presence has been integral to the Celtics' success, and it's exactly what he hopes to showcase.
"Just that I can guard, I can run a team, and I can make open shots," Uzan said. "And when it's time to make a big play down the stretch, I can do that as well."
Though he hasn't had a significant conversation with the Celtics about a potential two-way deal just yet, Uzan is looking forward to competing. He'll be at training camp with Boston, and from there, anything could happen.
"I mean, I haven't really had too much [of a] conversation," Uzan said. "My main thought process right now is just to go out in summer league and compete and see where it goes from there. I know I'm going to be at training camp, so I'm just trying to keep getting better and just trying to add value to a team."
Uzan finished Wednesday night with 13 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while shooting 4-of-12 from the floor and 2-of-5 from deep range. His ball-handling, for the fourth straight game, helped keep Boston's offense running as smoothly as possible.
As for Tonje, he's been having quite the trip in Vegas. His shot creation and 3-point shooting have stood out. Against Sacramento, he put up 18 points and grabbed one rebound, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-7 from distance. Like Uzan, he's trying not to focus on a two-way spot. He just wants to grow.
"Yeah, I mean, I know that's kind of in the back of my mind, but I'm really just focusing on getting better each day," Tonje said. "I love to improve, and I love to- I'm blessed to be here, honestly. So, just leading with that, being grateful every day, and just giving everything I have each day, and it'll take care of itself."
© Brett Davis
Amari Williams
Chris Cenac, Amari Williams, and the rest
Those three were the top dogs on Wednesday night, with Williams right behind them. Though he flashed some impressive passing skills, I wasn't quite as impressed with his performance as the general public seems to be.
Williams is a great passer. That much is clear. And more importantly, that's not the problem. He needs to improve in other areas of his game, and since the first game of Summer League, he hasn't.
On Wednesday, Williams had six points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks. However, the big man shot just 2-of-6 from the field and committed four fouls.
The biggest issue that popped up on Wednesday was Williams' defense. He was late in rotation, missed his spots, and failed to contest shots he clearly should have. Those are the types of mistakes that could prevent him from progressing at the NBA level.
With Williams, the passing talent is obvious. But his inconsistent hands, spacy positioning, and common fouling issues are holding him back. Those are the areas in which he needs to improve.
As for Chris Cenac Jr., he enjoyed a solid day. It wasn't his best performance yet, but it also wasn't his worst. The rookie had 10 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, and two blocks while shooting 3-of-8 from the field and 1-of-3 from distance. However, he turned the ball over four times.
There are still the occasional focus issues with Cenac. They just seem like lapses, but they're fairly apparent. The turnovers are another noteworthy trend. But his NBA-ready skills are clear as day.
Cenac's rebounding is elite. There's no other way around it. He just has a knack for getting his hands on the basketball. And his shot-blocking is much better than projected.
Tucker DeVries, who, like Uzan, is on an Exhibit 10 contract, had a rough day at the office. He had two points and two rebounds, shooting 1-of-7 from the field and 0-of-6 from deep. He didn't provide much on the defensive end, either.