The Celtics have added some frontcourt depth after signing former Indiana Hoosier D.J. White to a 10-day contract, according to Yahoo! Sports. White is expected to suit up for Friday's game against the Golden State Warriors.
White played in the NBA for five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Bobcats, averaging 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in limited playing time at both stops. In his senior season as a Hoosier, White averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds a game. He was taken 29th overall by the Detroit Pistons, but his rights were immediately traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, who moved to Oklahoma City. Two seasons ago, White was dealt to the Bobcats along with guard Morris Peterson for Nazr Mohammed.
White went unsigned this offseason and agreed to a deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 32 games with the Sharks, White averaged close to 22 points per game. The Celtics are in need of bodies to populate their frontcourt after losing rookie Jared Sullinger for the season with a back injury and trading center Jason Collins to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Crawford.
After a slow start to the season Sullinger was coming on and gaining a larger role in the Celtics' rotation, averaging six points and six rebounds a game. His per 36 minutes say he would average a double-double with increased minutes. Collins was only playing 10 minutes a game in Boston, averaging just one point and one rebound per game, but he is a quality defensive big man capable of protecting the rim.
Acquiring White to join Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass in the frontcourt could be an indictment of the front office's feelings about rookie center Fab Melo, selected one pick after Sullinger. Melo has only suited up for five games in Boston and scored five points this year.
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