The Celtics have one of their three two-way spots filled, but Amari Williams is hardly locked into the job.
Boston took the seven-foot center in the second round of last year’s NBA Draft, and for now he sits in one of those openings. Still, the way his Summer League ended in Las Vegas left the door open for a shakeup. If the Celtics sort through this battle the way it looks today, Williams’ name belongs in pencil, not ink.
His final game in Sin City was a missed opportunity. With key players sitting on both sides, it was the kind of setting where Williams could have taken over.
Boston kept Hugo Gonzalez, [ who has already begun validating why the team kept him out of a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo], Chris Cenac Jr., who's arriving with a message that will fire up Celtics fans, and the fiercely determined Dillon Mitchell out of the lineup. Orlando also rested its starting center, Colin Castleton, and power forward Noah Penda.
The stage was there for Williams to make a statement.
Instead, the Nottingham, England, native took only two shots in 16:48 and finished with two points, three rebounds, one block, one steal, and three turnovers. His issues defending the pick-and-roll also showed up again. On this Summer League trip, he often looked like he needed to read the action a beat faster, stopping the ball-handler without losing track of the rolling big behind him for a lob or an offensive board.
That’s a tough assignment for any center. It’s easy to point from the sideline and say what should have happened. But at that position, handling those reads is part of the defensive job description.
There were encouraging signs, too. Williams looked more confident in this year’s Summer League and seemed more vocal.
Boston also leaned into his passing ability, using him as an offensive hub and letting him initiate possessions. That approach helped steady the group.
"I think you guys can see his confidence just exuding on the game," said Boston's head coach at this July showcase, Amile Jefferson. "I'm really proud of his growth, and how he's maturing as a player."
That growth still has to show up with more force. Williams needs to play with more aggression in his defense, his screening, and his work on the glass if he wants to stick in the NBA. Otherwise, the alternative could be a move overseas.
It’s a message he’s heard from the Celtics and from one of his mentors, veteran forward Tosan Evbuomwan. The ask is simple: now is the time for the 24-year-old former Kentucky star to turn that advice into action.
Boston has seen other players take a Summer League that left people wanting more and turn it into something better, including Jordan Walsh. Williams has that kind of path available to him. But with training camp and the preseason ahead, he’ll have to fight to keep the two-way deal he currently holds.
In Other News...
Why The Jaylen Brown Deal Could Still Transform Bostons Future
The Jaylen Brown deal did more than send one of Bostons cornerstone wings to Philadelphia for Paul George and a bundle of future draft assets. It also left the Celtics with a 2028 first-round swap that could matter more than it looks at first glance, because the value of that pick will depend heavily on where the Clippers and 76ers stand by then, along with the shape of Bostons existing draft arrangements.
There is also a broader wrinkle here that could reshape how the league values future picks. The NBAs new 3-2-1 lottery format begins in 2027, expanding the lottery to 16 teams and potentially changing how much protection or upside a swap like this really carries. If the Clippers stay stuck and Philadelphia is good but financially tight, Bostons long view on the return could look a lot different than it does today. [Read more 🡒]
Hugo Gonzalez Just Got A Year 2 Wake Up Call
Hugo Gonzalez turned in a Summer League that looked like the kind of showing that can move a young player forward, but it still did not earn him a spot on either 2026 NBA All-Summer League team. For a Celtics prospect trying to carve out a real place in the rotation, the omission is a reminder that good stretches alone do not always translate into outside recognition, even when the broader impression is encouraging.
The bigger issue for Boston is what comes next. Gonzalez already saw his minutes shrink late last season after Jayson Tatum returned, and he was no longer part of the playoff picture, but he still flashed enough when called on to make the organization pay attention. With Jaylen Brown traded, the Celtics are expected to need more from him in the coming season, which means the next step is not about Summer League honors anymore. It is about whether he can turn that promise into a steadier role when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]