The Boston Celtics should wait to give Derrick White an extension

When the Boston Celtics traded Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, they declared to the fanbase that Derrick White is the next starting point guard. White has also recently stated that he would love to sign an extension with the Celtics in September.

Although the Cs will be tempted to get an extension done with White after a strong postseason in 2023, the franchise should think long and hard about it.

Ultimately, the Celtics should wait until the end of next season to give White an extension.

White is coming off a strong season in 2023 that saw him average 12 points per game and shoot a career-high 38.1% from three (he shot 61.5% in his rookie season, but only played 17 games.) The fan favorite had a fantastic postseason that was capped off by one of the best game-winners in franchise history in Game 6 of the Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. You could argue that White was the second-best player for the Cs in the postseason.

With that being said, I am hesitant to give White an extension because he still has more to prove. White feels like a player that could be heading for a regression next season, and I want to see him put together one more year of solid/elite play. Also, with White’s potential salary approaching $30 million per year, I question if he is worth it. The Celtics have to factor in that White could regress next season after basically having a career year.

The Boston Celtics must wait before handing Derrick White an extension

I think the Boston Celtics should wait another year and see how White performs in the starting role for a full season. If White excels, then the Celtics will have no reluctance to give him that deal, but if he regresses, they may be able to save some money on the extension.

Ultimately, there is no rush for the Cs to get an extension done, so they should wait it out.