5 things we learned from Celtics media day

CANTON — The Celtics hosted media day Monday.

Here’s what we learned:

Jayson Tatum is all about threes and layups, which is a good thing. 

Tatum preached all the right things, vowing to attack the rim and shoot more from deep. “Threes and layups,” Tatum said. “And free throws. If you want to be a great scorer in this league, you have to get to the line. Free throws are super important, and getting to the basket. That opens up the rest of the game.”The Celtics averaged 19.5 free throws per game last season, getting to the line more often than only the Orlando Magic. By modifying his shot profile, and reducing the number of mid-range jumpers he takes, Tatum could bolster that stat as well as his own efficiency. To do so, however, he’ll also need to demonstrate increased control finishing through contact around the hoop. The 21-year-old averaged 2.9 free-throw attempts per game last season, drawing shooting fouls on just 8.3 percent of his shot attempts. It’s promising that Tatum has recognized the value of staying aggressive instead of settling, as he often last year elected to take mid-range twos in isolation. In his two games with Team USA, Tatum already exhibited his new mindset of driving to the rim and launching threes. He noted he was very appreciative of the time spent with Team USA, particularly with the coaching staff. “The thing I talked about with [Gregg Popovich] a lot is being able to dominate and have an impact on the game without necessarily scoring,” Tatum said. “Everybody has off-nights, but how can you still find a way to be super dominant and affect the game in a positive way?”If Tatum reaches, or approaches, superstar status, the Celtics could surprise the East this season. But Tatum said he’s not focused on the chatter surrounding him. “I’ve never really been one affected by outside noise, no matter how good people tell me I’m doing or how bad people tell me I’m doing,” he said. “I never get too high or too low. I just try to focus on the task at hand and enjoy it.” 

Jaylen Brown says he isn’t thinking too much about his contract extension. 

Eligible for a rookie-scale extension, Brown and the Celtics have yet to reach an agreement ahead of the Oct. 21 deadline.“To be honest, I haven’t put too much thought into it,” said Brown, sporting a new haircut. “I’m not losing any sleep over it. I think stuff like that will end up working itself out in the end, so I’m just focused on this season and playing basketball. I think that’s my No. 1 emphasis, and let the chips fall where they may.”Brown, who has handled negotiations throughout his first three NBA seasons without an agent, will become a restricted free agent this offseason if he does not ink an extension. Should that be the case, it’s not that unusual for the Celtics, who haven’t signed a player to such a deal since point guard Rajon Rondo in 2009. 

Romeo Langford is ready to go. 

After remaining sidelined for all of Summer League, Langford said he is back at 100 percent. “No restrictions,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting better every day this summer.” Langford underwent right thumb surgery in April to repair a torn ligament suffered in late November. The 19-year-old said he is “pain-free” and will be ready to practice Tuesday. Langford said he has played 5-on-5 this summer with “basically everybody” that’s been at the Auerbach Center, including his fellow rookies, Vincent Poirier, Gordon Hayward, and Enes Kanter. Although he did not suit up during Summer League, Langford still participated in practices while recovering from his thumb injury. His shot seemed to be a primary focus, and, at one point, he was getting attempts with a ping pong paddle taped to his left hand to aid his follow-through. Langford said he’s graduated from using the paddle, and noted his shot is much more fluid and smooth. “My shot has really improved a lot, just from going back and looking at what my shot looked like in high school and college to now,” he said. “I can tell by the results of how many shots I’m making and how it’s coming off my hand.” 

Kemba Walker acknowledged — and embraced — the expectations. 

Walker seemed to be the only player to show any interest in discussing expectations. “We have a really good team, so there should be expectations,” Walker said. “I’m very excited about that. That’s something I haven’t had much of throughout my career. I’m looking forward to trying my best to meet the challenge.”Returning players like Tatum and Brown, on the other hand, elected to keep mum, probably in response to how much the team failed to live up to its lofty expectations last season. Just over a year ago, former Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving went as far to say that he felt Boston could take on the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game series. Brown even predicted he’d have five rings by age 28. As for this year? Brown said he doesn’t want to put any expectations on the season, noting his mantra for himself and his teammates is to “just come out and hoop.” Tatum said he has expectations but is opting to keep them private. “I always have expectations,” he said. “I think I’m going to keep them to myself this year. I’m going to keep them in my mind. Winning is most important. That’s always the goal.” Hayward summed up last season’s woes well. “I think you learn that nothing’s just going to be given to you in this league,” he said. “I think a lot of people just handed us the trip to the Finals and thought we were going to walk our way to the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s obviously not the case, and that didn’t happen. Certainly, there’s a lot more to basketball than just looking at who’s on the team.”

The center position is still in flux.

After the departures of both Al Horford and Aron Baynes, Boston’s frontcourt remains an area up for grabs. Several bigs — Robert Williams, Vincent Poirier, Daniel Theis, and undersized Semi Ojeleye — acknowledged the opening, expressing their interest in doing whatever they can to benefit the team and their confidence in accepting a larger role. Coach Brad Stevens has suggested the team will adopt a center-by-committee strategy, at least to start the season. Kanter seems to be the early favorite to garner the most minutes, given his eight years of experience. So, how will the Celtics use him? “We’re going to throw him the ball in the post at times,” Stevens said. “He’s going to roll to the rim, he’s going to seal, [and] he’s going to rebound. He’s a capable guy stretching the floor, but we’re going to let him soar with those other strengths first and foremost.”Increasing his range has been a point of emphasis for Kanter this offseason. Theis noted he, too, has been working on his three-point shot. Theis shot 38.8 percent on 67 attempts from behind the arc last season. “I worked a lot this summer on my shot to be more consistent from deeper range, so hopefully the percentage stays the same even when I take more shots,” he said.