Insider hints at Boston Celtics’ long-term plans for key guard
By Sam LaFrance
With the tip-off of the Boston Celtics’ regular season less than two weeks away, time is running out for the team to reach an agreement on a contract extension with Derrick White. There’s no major rush to get it done this year, as White remains under contract through the end of the 2024-25 season, but with the new CBA, it wouldn’t hurt to get things done as soon as possible.
Yahoo Sports NBA Insider Jake Fischer recently discussed the potential for an extension, during an appearance on the How ‘Bout Them Celtics podcast.
“I can’t say I’ve heard anything specific of where those talks — if there are talks — have come up at all, to be honest,” Fischer said when asked about a potential extension for White. “But, what I can say is that Derrick White is assuredly someone that the Celtics front office and coaching staff is very very high on.”
Once Boston’s regular-season opener rolls around on Oct. 25, they won’t be able to reopen extension talks with White until next year.
Derrick White is primed for a big year with the Boston Celtics
In his first full season with the Cs last year, White impressed. He was consistently a part of the team’s starting lineup and was even named to the NBA’s All-Defensive second team.
White survived a purging of the Celtics’ guard rotation this summer, as both Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon were traded away.
At this point, it’s pretty unclear whether or not he’ll remain a starter this season with the addition of Jrue Holiday, but Boston’s No. 9 is in a great spot to build off of a solid 2022-23 campaign.
The Colorado native suited up in all 82 of the Cs regular-season games, starting in 70 of them. He averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc.
His fantastic ability on the defensive end and his increased efficiency from long-range will surely make him a staple of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation once again. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him earn another selection to one of the All-Defensive teams this year.