Derrick White told reporters after Boston’s Summer League opener , an overtime win over the Toronto Raptors , that the addition of Mitchell Robinson will be a “pain” to play against for years to come. White’s remark came during a media round-table where he also addressed his own offseason work and the recent trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia.
Robinson arrives in Boston as a 28-year-old veteran of the New York Knicks. Over the past season he appeared in 60 games, started 16, and logged just over 19 minutes per contest while averaging 5.7 points per game. His contributions earned him a finish of eighth place in the league’s Sixth Man of the Year voting. In the Knicks’ 18-game playoff run, Robinson posted 4.8 points per game as the team captured a title against the San Antonio Spurs. Boston secured his services with a three-year contract worth nearly $50 million, positioning him as the projected starting center.
White reflected on his own performance from the 2025-26 season, noting that he does not feel he played as well as he could have. He posted a career-high 16.5 points per game across 77 games, but his shooting percentages slipped to 39.4 % from the floor and 32.7 % from three-point range. The drop in efficiency was especially evident in the playoffs, where the Celtics fell to the Philadelphia 76ers in a seven-game first-round series.
White also highlighted Robinson’s reputation as one of the league’s best offensive rebounders, a skill set that could dovetail with the Celtics’ need for second-chance points. Coach Joe Mazzulla has expressed interest in a “double-big” look that would see Robinson share minutes with fellow big man Neemias Queta. With rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell also in the mix, the front office appears ready to blend veteran size with youthful development.
The Robinson signing follows a blockbuster move that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, a transaction that also brought veteran guard Mike Conley and forward Paul George to Boston. Those additions, combined with Robinson’s interior presence, signal a shift away from the small-ball lineups that defined the previous two seasons. If the double-big experiment works in training camp, Boston could field a more physical frontcourt that addresses the rebounding and interior-defense deficiencies that hurt them in the 2025-26 playoffs.
