The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas tips off on Friday, July 10, and the Boston Celtics begin their first basketball since the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
This year’s showcase features four Celtics draft picks from the past two years. As Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has emphasized the importance of depth and roster optionality, he clearly believes in his draft selections and the organization’s developmental program.
Get to know Boston’s four key players to watch this summer and what Celtics fans should look for from each.
Hugo González — Expanding his offensive game
No player on Boston’s Summer League roster will draw more attention than Hugo González.
The 2025 first-round pick already earned meaningful NBA minutes as a rookie. In Boston, González established himself as a high-motor wing with great defensive instincts and hustle impact, winning over many Celtics faithful. On a national level, he’s now known for his name surfacing in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.
González’s growth from last year, when he was productive but inefficient, will be interesting to see play out on a Summer League court.
The Celtics value González because of his impact without the ball. Screening, cutting, defending, and hitting open threes are likely to define his upcoming season.
Summer League gives him an opportunity to refine those strengths, while expanding his on-ball game. The Celtics may run some plays through him, but more important is his ability to make reads off the catch and put pressure on the rim as a driver.
González already has a solid foundation as a shooter. He connected on 38.7% of catch-and-shoot three-point attempts and 41.1% on corner threes. He can work on his jump shot in any gym.
Against Summer League competition, the more valuable reps for Gonzalez may come from decision-making with the ball in his hands. If he can become more reliable attacking closeouts and making reads out of drive-and-kicks, his impact can hit another level and raise his long-term ceiling.
Amari Williams — Handling physicality
Amari Williams is the other player on the Celtics Summer League roster with experience in Boston.
Williams appeared in 22 games for the Celtics in 2025-26, even starting in a couple during a stretch in January. He put up big numbers with the Maine Celtics as well, averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game.
With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, scoring touch, and passing ability, Williams is able to overwhelm most non-NBA competition. The biggest concern is whether those tools hold up against stronger, more physical centers.
That issue became apparent during one of his NBA starts against the Chicago Bulls. Instead of matching Williams up against Chicago’s starting center, Nikola Vučević, Joe Mazzulla assigned him to Jalen Smith. Smith pulled Williams out to the perimeter, which negated the opportunity to maximize his size, and he ultimately played just 10 minutes in the start.
Mazzulla’s reluctance to match him Williams up with with Vučević suggest a need for growth as an interior defender. He must become more physically imposing if he wants to stick. Summer League is a chance to show that progress.
Chris Cenac Jr. — Finding better shots
Chris Cenac Jr. is the highest-selected player of Brad Stevens’ tenure running basketball operations for the Celtics.
Cenac is also the highest-rated high school recruit Boston has drafted in years. He ranked No. 6 in ESPN’s 2025 recruiting class. His decision to play for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars while expecting to go to the NBA the next year speaks to his work ethic.
“When he got here, he was just a young man that was looking for help,” Sampson said about Cenac in a recent interview. “He came in here knowing he was going to be challenged like he was never challenged in his life.”
Cenac started 36 games for a Houston Team that won 30 games and reached the Sweet 16 — an accomplishment in itself under one of college basketball’s most demanding coaches.
However, the offensive production left something to be desired. His shot selection, in particular, will likely be the biggest coaching point for Cenac early in his tenure in Boston.
According to The Ringer’s NBA Draft Guide, 35.3% of his field-goal attempts came on non-paint two-pointers — probably the least Celtics-friendly shot profile imaginable.
Summer League isn’t a perfect environment to evaluate shot selection. Still, it’ll be worth watching whether Boston encourages him to hunt more shots at the rim and from beyond the arc.
How Cenac picks his spots offensively, after a few weeks of training with the Celtics, will provide good context for his starting point.
Dillon Mitchell — Impact beyond jumpshots
Dillon Mitchell’s lack of a jump shot is the elephant in the room, especially if Cenac’s shot diet will be emphasized.
Mitchell shot just 6.7% from three last season and 49.4% from the free-throw line.
The numbers are shockingly low for a non-center to be selected in the top 40, but that’s a testament to how positive Mitchell’s impact is aside from shooting.
Mitchell is an effort star with a high motor and exceptional athleticism. Celtics vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren cited the third game of Mitchell’s 144-game college career as an example of someone whose “leaping ability almost quite literally jumped off the court” (H/T @BobbyKrivitsky).
With more freedom than he’ll have in any NBA game this season, Mitchell could become one of Summer League’s most entertaining players. He’s a dangerous coast-to-coast threat with outstanding instincts for tracking down loose balls, and every transition opportunity feels like it could end with a highlight-reel dunk.
Mitchell’s ability to get to the rim, both in transition and half court, will help paint the picture of how he can survive on an NBA court with minimal shooting. That said, the Celtics are confident that he will eventually develop a shot.
“He’ll get better at his shot,” Zarren said after the draft (H/T @NoaDalzell). “We don’t have any doubt about that.”
Until that happens, though, Summer League offers fans an opportunity to look past the shooting and appreciate Mitchell’s energy, athleticism, and impact in other areas.
Conclusion
Summer League results should always be viewed with caution. For these Celtics, success won’t be defined by points per game or highlight-reel performances, but by the development of skills that can eventually translate to meaningful NBA minutes.
Whether it’s González expanding his on-ball game, Williams proving he can handle NBA physicality, Cenac refining his offensive profile, or Mitchell showcasing everything beyond his jump shot, each player has a different benchmark for success.
The next two weeks should provide an encouraging glimpse into where González, Williams, Cenac, and Mitchell stand as they continue working toward meaningful roles in Boston.
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