Camp Notebooks: White's Shot, Tatum's Role, a Crowded…

By the Celtics Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 1

No games have been played, so September Celtics coverage is mostly texture: a jumper under repair, a leadership narrative, a frontcourt large enough to earn a nickname. Each thread holds up against the roster and the money behind it, but none of it is a win yet.

Celtics Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Derrick White's jumper is the offseason's quiet repair project.

MassLive's Souichi Terada reported Boston's camp work includes fixing White's shot (#143154). The number behind that project is plain: White shot 32.7 percent from three last season across 77 games and 34.1 minutes a night, well off what the role requires. A corrected White jumper is a bigger lever on this roster than most offseason additions.

Tatum's leadership coverage arrives without Brown in the room.

CelticsBlog's Bobby Manning wrote that camp has noticed a leadership leap from Tatum (#138044), and MassLive's Souichi Terada reported Tatum is already drawing praise for a renewed role (#135516). The framing tracks the actual move: Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George over the summer, ending the Tatum-Brown pairing and handing Tatum a frontcourt partner eight years his senior. Praise in September settles nothing; the roster hasn't played a game.

Boston's center depth is large enough to earn its own nickname.

CelticsBlog's Gio Rivera reported the team itself does not consider its frontcourt overcrowded, under the camp nickname "Big Fella University" (#128168, #128174), and MassLive's Souichi Terada noted the center rotation already has a name of its own (#133046). The depth is real on the roster: Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Amari Williams are all under contract, with Robinson's $15.0 million the largest deal of the four. Four centers on one roster is a camp story and a rotation problem Mazzulla hasn't had to solve yet.

The stories below the stars are what camp actually produces with no games played.

CelticsBlog covered Jordan Walsh learning the difference between having a role and being a role player (#143192), and MassLive's Brian Robb and Souichi Terada reported a newcomer praising a reserve wing (#138007). Boston.com's Khari Thompson noted camp addition Devin Carter chose his jersey number as homage to a former Celtic (#128159). None of it is verifiable against a scoreboard yet, because there isn't one.

Is Derrick White actually expected to shoot better this season?

Beat reporters say camp is focused on repairing his shot, and the number supports the concern: White shot 32.7 percent from three last season. No outlet has reported a specific fix or timetable.

What is 'Big Fella University'?

It's the camp nickname outlets are using for Boston's center group of Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Amari Williams, reported as deep rather than overcrowded.

By the Celtics Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.