Hugo Gonzalez is already showing why Bucks were right in Giannis trade drama

The Milwaukee Bucks were at the head of the table for the biggest trade negotiation sagas of the summer. They ended up trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat for a package that included a ton of players – highlighted by Tyler Herro – and even more draft picks. But when they were negotiating with the Boston Celtics, they reportedly demanded Hugo Gonzalez in the deal. And now, it looks like they were right to.

Gonzalez has been playing for Team Spain in the FIBA World Cup qualifying games, and he’s looked great. The Celtics declined to include him in a deal for Antetokounmpo, and though there’s still a lot left to prove, he looks like a guy with a ton of potential. The Bucks were right to demand him in trade talks.

He has the chance to be a great player.

Bucks were right to want Hugo Gonzalez in Giannis trade

When reports came out that the Celtics did not want to include Gonzalez in a trade for Antetokounmpo, people were upset. And when it was rumored that their failure to include him and Baylor Scheierman in the deal may have cost them Antetokounmpo, people were even more mad.

And while it probably would have made sense for the Celtics to include those guys in the deal – especially considering what Boston eventually traded Jaylen Brown for – let’s live in the present for a moment.

Gonzalez may be nowhere close to Antetokounmpo, but he is still only 20 years old. He showed a ton of potential during his rookie season with the Celtics, and right now, he’s looking great with Spain.

In his first game against Denmark, Gonzalez finished the contest with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block while shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc.

That said, in his next game against Lithuania, he wasn’t quite as good. He put up nine points, two rebounds, and two assists while shooting 3-of-8 from the floor and 2-of-7 from distance.

But perhaps the most impressive skills Gonzalez put on display were his defensive talents. He was an absolute pest on that side of the ball, putting his elite hustle on display.

He looks like the type of guy who can make an insane two-way impact in the NBA for a long, long time, highlighted by his incredible defense. That’s what the Bucks were prepared to bet on.

And in a way, that’s what the Celtics are betting on moving forward.

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