Hugo Gonzalez Finally has Special Summer League Performance for Celtics originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Hugo Gonzalez was supposed to be a dominant force for the Boston Celtics at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Instead, the 2025 first-round pick had been inefficient and had some struggles through three games.

If a player doesn't control proceedings in their second year of Summer League, it's often a bad sign, and it was looking like Gonzalez may simply be a player with less upside than Boston would've hoped.

Then on Wednesday night, he showed up in full force.

Gonzalez finished an 82-76 win over the Kings with these stats:

• 24 points
• 10 rebounds
• 5 assists
• 1 steal
• 3 turnovers
• 8-18 FG
• 3-9 3FG
• 3-3 FT

MORE: Viral video of Joe Mazzulla doing MMA shows off insane muscles

Still not a perfect night, but it's markedly better than the way he had played before this.

Gonzalez managed to lead the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists to display his well-rounded game.

When players are too good for Summer League, they start making shots like this one:

Hugo González gets the fadeaway jumper to fall 🔥

He has a game-high 12 PTS in the 1H as the Celtics have the lead on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/22rc5xcoim

— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026

This doesn't guarantee anything for Gonzalez in the season ahead with Boston.

But this is the kind of outing he needed for his own confidence. Gonzalez belongs with a role in the NBA. He's still trying to grow into the best player he can be along the way.

More Celtics

• Latest Celtics news
• TD Garden fan guide: What to know before you go
• Complete history of Celtics championships

Boston hopes to tie up its third Summer League win when it takes on Sacramento this Wednesday.

How to Watch Celtics vs Kings

• Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM EDT
• Channel: ESPN2
• Stream: Fubo (start watching now)

The Boston Celtics are back in action at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday when they take on Sacramento in the latest leg of their Summer League schedule. Amile Jefferson has enjoyed a positive spell coaching the team so far this summer and hopes to unseat the Kings from their throne in Nevada.

Veteran guard Derrick White has also tried his hand at the coaching gig during Summer League and oversaw Boston’s comfortable win against Charlotte on Sunday. Jefferson was back in his rightful seat for Monday’s 102-90 defeat to Atlanta, however, perhaps signaling White may be something of a good luck charm.

Second-round Draft pick Dillon Mitchell seemed to benefit in particular from White’s methods as he topped the points (24) and rebounds (eight) lists against the Hornets. The rookie forward couldn’t replicate the same output in Monday’s defeat to the Hawks and is one looking to reclaim his perch for Boston in midweek.

For Sacramento, second-year talent Maxime Raynaud has caught the eye and looked a cut above in a wide defeat to Washington over the weekend. Point guard prospect Darius Acuff Jr finished as the top scorer in the California Classic league of the off-season and hopes to make another positive impression in front of Summer League coach Chris Darnell here.

Live stream Celtics vs Kings on ESPN2 with Fubo: Start watching now!

With Fubo, you can watch live television without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. Fubo carries a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including local sports packages and top national channels like ABC, FOX, CBS, ESPN, FS1, MTV, Comedy Central, and much more. The best part is you can try it out today for free.

Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Celtics Face Tricky Chris Cenac Reality originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Chris Cenac Jr. blocked four shots on Monday night.

He also had the worst plus-minus of any player in the Boston Celtics' starting lineup in their NBA Summer League loss to the Hawks, the first loss Boston has taken this summer.

Cenac hurt his own cause with five turnovers, offsetting those blocks and then some.

The rookie out of Houston did have 13 points, five rebounds and two assists, but it was a mixed bag, just as his overall Summer League has been so far.

And really, this is what the Celtics should've expected all along with Cenac.

When he arrived at Houston, he had the potential to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

MORE: Dillon Mitchell is leveling up already for the Celtics

Instead, he ended up going 27th, and that's because he wasn't called upon to do much for the Cougars -- and when he did, his youth and inefficiency showed up a bit too often.

Cenac is clearly a talented player. He can make offensive plays all over the floor, and his length and athleticism are impactful defensively.

It's also super early, so this isn't the time to make judgments on him.

Instead, it's simply the time to pump the brakes a bit.

The Celtics have a veteran, experienced team that will plan on competing for a championship in 2026-27.

Yes, it'd be great if Cenac blossomed enough to be a part of that pursuit.

But there's a reason this high-ranking recruit was drafted much lower than hoped. He hasn't fully put his game together yet.

His potential and upside are still quite high, although maybe his odds of getting there are a bit lower.

But whatever the odds, Cenac isn't there yet.

It's good that the Celtics can let him ride the wave at Summer League in hopes of improving day in and day out.

Cenac still has plenty of work to do, and that's OK. He's not supposed to be a finished product yet.

Celtics Predicted to have 17th-Best Player in NBA in 2030 originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's always exciting to look toward the future in the sports world.

That's what Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey did in a new article in which he ranked the 30-best players in the NBA as he sees it playing out in 2030.

It's a particularly compelling discussion as it pertains to the Boston Celtics, who don't have a ton of talented young players. Their best players feel like they're in their prime right about now.

So do the Celtics feature at all on Bailey's list?

Yep, just one guy, and not really a surprise.

Bailey ranks Jayson Tatum as the No. 17 player in the NBA in the year 2030.

Tatum will be 33 then, and it seems fair to slot him there.

"Tatum is huge for a wing," Bailey writes. "He can easily shift to power forward if a slight decline in athleticism requires it. And whether he's there or at the 3, his rebounding, shooting and playmaking will be important. Plus, though he's not quite on (Jalen) Brunson's level in terms of craftiness, there is a lot of that to Tatum's game too. Good burst is important to be able to sell things, but Tatum's footwork and pump fakes should help him remain effective well into his 30s. Think of it this way. The post-Achilles tear Tatum still has a chance to be something like a souped-up version of Paul Pierce."

MORE: Dillon Mitchell is leveling up already for the Celtics

The Celtics would take a high-quality Tatum four years from now if they can get him. Then, they'll have to do what they can to continue bulking up the next generation on their roster.

The NBA is in good hands -- Bailey predicts Victor Wembanyama to be the unquestioned best player in the world in four years.

He does have AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer -- the top-three picks in this year's draft -- all ranked ahead of Tatum for four years from now, for what it's worth.

The Celtics are hoping to do a lot more winning before worrying about 2030, but it's a fun thought experiment in which Tatum is still solidly regarded.

More Celtics

• Latest Celtics news
• TD Garden fan guide: What to know before you go
• Complete history of Celtics championships

How to Watch Celtics vs. Hornets: Channel, Live Stream & Start Time for NBA Summer League Game originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

NBA Summer League action will continue for the Celtics when they face the Hornets on Sunday.

In its first Summer League game, Boston defeated Toronto, 83-80, in overtime. Amari Williams led the way with 23 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 29 minutes.

Charlotte also secured a victory in its Summer League opener, beating Orlando, 86-74. Liam McNeeley scored 28 points in the win, and first-round pick Hannes Steinbach finished with a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds).

Here is everything you need to know about Celtics vs. Hornets, including TV and streaming options for the Summer League game.

How to watch Celtics vs. Hornets: TV channel, live stream for NBA Summer League game

• TV channel: ESPN2
• Live stream: DIRECTV | fubo | ESPN app

Celtics vs. Hornets will air live on ESPN2. The Summer League game will also be available to stream on DIRECTV, fubo and the ESPN app.

Try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live NBA, NHL and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network — all included with DIRECTV.

Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.

Celtics vs. Hornets start time

• Date: Sunday, July 12
• Time: 5 p.m. ET

Celtics vs. Hornets is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12. The game will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Celtics Summer League schedule 2026

Celtics Summer League roster 2026

Head coach: Amile Jefferson

More Celtics

• Latest Celtics news
• TD Garden fan guide: What to know before you go
• Complete history of Celtics championships