CelticsBlog film session: how Hugo González could fit in Boston

Last night, the Boston Celtics drafted Hugo González Peña from Real Madrid.

The young player competed as a professional this season in the Spanish league and also logged some minutes in the EuroLeague. His playing time was limited due to the very high level and ambition of his team, but there is still film and data to dissect to better understand his on-court value and what Brad Stevens saw in him.

After the draft, the Celtics’ general manager emphasized González’s competitive mindset on the court — and he’s right. But what else is the data telling us about the Spanish prospect? Regarding his production per 40 minutes in the Spanish league, he posted below-average numbers in scoring, efficiency, passing, and shooting. Remember: he’s still very young, so it makes sense that his game might look a bit shy. That said, there are also very encouraging numbers.

Looking at the data, González brings a few things the Celtics might need: driving game, off-ball movement, and defensive playmaking. Let’s start with the first one.

A Spanish driver

Last season, he ranked in the 84th percentile in drives made per 40 minutes in Spain, showing great ability to find his way to the rim. His handle and speed help him create separation, and he sometimes doesn’t even need a screen to get to the basket.

However, there’s a catch. His high volume of made drives hides the ineffectiveness of his rim attempts. The numbers show that, on his drive attempts this season, he had a 21% field goal efficiency. Watching the film, two factors explain this. First, he lacks verticality.

Second, his footwork isn’t very accurate (yet?). González sometimes loses track of where and how to set his steps while heading to the rim, which creates weird finishes — like this one, where he goes around the player but totally misses it.

He has a good process for creating his own shot, but the execution is sometimes a bit wacky. Of course, he isn’t a finished player, and there’s room to grow. Speaking of room to grow and encouraging signs: his ability to draw fouls. His free-throw rate (FT attempts / FG attempts) is above league average, which is very encouraging for a young guard who is still developing and doesn’t yet benefit from star calls.

He can draw fouls from drives, but also thanks to his willingness to cut and move off the ball.

Sharp as a knife

In Spain last year, he ranked in the 55th percentile in cuts made per 40 minutes, showing flashes of what he can bring off the ball. As he was playing next to more experienced players, he learned how to wait in the shadows — often on the weak side — and to cut at the right time.

His lack of verticality and “work in progress” footwork are less problematic when he catches the ball on the move from cuts. Even better, when he’s freed from the ball, he can take off — like on the alley-oop below.

As he’ll be playing alongside other ball-handlers — like at Real Madrid — his tendency to cut into space could be very useful for the Celtics. Like Jrue Holiday did in the last two seasons, off-ball guards who cut instead of standing still can create chaos and benefit from their teammates’ gravity.

But what could be problematic for his off-ball role is his ability to shoot. Last season, he made 27% of his attempts from three. Because he moves well, he’s often able to find himself open. The question is: can he make those open looks? It’s impossible to say right now, but that will be a turning point in his career if he can shoot with above-league-average efficiency.

Note that despite the low three-point percentage, his FT% suggests he has a shooting touch (79% from the line in his short career so far). Also, he can pass the ball pretty well and show flashes that indicate he could be a connector.

But what else can he bring if he doesn’t shoot? Two more things, actually. The first is his competitiveness.

How do you say “hustler” in Spanish?

What Brad Stevens saw in him — based on his comment about González’s competitive mindset — can be seen in his defense and his ability to generate second chances. His ability to cut mirrors his offensive rebounding skills. His timing on movements and jumps is impactful and can turn a miss into a make.

We saw last year against the Knicks how being able to grab offensive rebounds can generate a lot of great things for a team, so having a guard who can impact that area is definitely interesting to try to develop.

On the defensive end, he’s a willing and skilled defender. His numbers in blocks and steals show great ability to read the game and impressive eye-hand coordination. To start, watch this beautiful help from the weak side to steal the ball. It reminded me of Marcus Smart.

His length can also be very useful, as he offers some rim protection for a guard. Watch him save the day with a block as the opponents try to score in transition. He’s quicker than a typical rim protector and could help the Celtics maintain their identity in transition defense.

But the young player still needs to learn a couple of tricks. The first is how to navigate screens. On most of the tape I watched this morning, Hugo got stuck on screens — like on the play below, where he falls behind after his matchup rejects the screen.

The second is to be careful with his jumps. He leaves his feet to block shots very often, which can either be rewarded or punished. Opposing teams will quickly identify this and he’ll need to be more disciplined in his defensive approach.

So far in Spain, he’s sometimes been able to compensate for his poor screen navigation thanks to all his other defensive skills — but that will need to be addressed once he reaches the NBA. If teams identify him as a weak screen navigator, they won’t hesitate to target him.

Conclusion

Overall, there is a lot to like about Hugo González Peña. There is also a lot of work to be done. He’s raw, but the foundation is there. If the Celtics are patient and committed to his development, González could turn into a valuable role player — one who cuts, defends, and competes on every possession.