Celtics News

[Roy H.]

I want Hugo to do well.   But folks he was a late round pick and has been hyped ad nauseam.   I do think the fan base has over rated him.  His defense is very good and his movement is solid.   He needs to become more consistent at every aspect of his offensive game.

 Completely agree. People are calling for him to start this season. That?s crazy to me. I?m not saying Hugo doesn?t have potential, but he is still very raw.

If Pritchard comes off of the bench, Hugo as the 5th starter isn't crazy.  I would assume that Hauser gets that role, but behind him there's not much separation between the various wings.

There is a large gap between Hugo and Hauser. Sam is solid on both ends. He rarely makes mistakes. The same cannot be said for Gonzalez at this point.

You watched last year's playoffs, right?  Hauser made all kinds of defensive mistakes, just like all of the role players.

[Vermont Green]

I think Hugo is a better defender than Hauser. Hauser is fine. Hugo is just better. If Hugo does not start, it will not be because of defense.  I do not expect Hugo to be a starter, at least not at the start of the season. 

[byennie]

This Hugo situation reminds me a bit of Avery Bradley. Not because they are the same player, but because both could really defend at a young age. Bradley took until year 4 before he really stepped into a scorer's role, and became a legitimate 15ppg player in his prime.

Likewise, I think it would be a mistake to rush Hugo. He's not a great offensive player, which is why he's out there underwhelming at times in a bigger role, on an international squad.

I love his efficiency, and the possibility to see him grow, but I hope we bring him along slowly over the next 2-3 seasons. It still helps us for him to be a really solid role player in the meantime.