Celtics fans should believe in Derrick White's track record

Derrick White would be the first one to tell you that he didn't shoot the ball well last season. In fact, he acknowledged it at Summer League.

"I gotta shoot it better, obviously," said the nine-year veteran while stopping by Las Vegas. "But there's a lot of things that I want to work on, and I think summer is a good time to get better."

White's trip to check in on the Sin City C's also included a chance to coach them. While he enjoyed his side quest, his work on his primary mission is just one reason that Boston Celtics fans should be optimistic about him bouncing back from beyond the arc.

Derrick White's Celtics history bodes well for his future

In each of the three seasons before this one, the former San Antonio Spurs guard shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range. For his career, his conversion rate is 36 percent. That's while launching these attempts at appreciable volume [5.6 times per game].

Both of the NBA organizations White has played for are exceptional at helping shooters improve. However, interestingly enough, it's his track record in Boston in particular that suggests he should be just fine moving forward.

What unfolded last season seemed like a direct result of the role that he was in. While Jayson Tatum was rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon, the former Colorado Buffalo had to create more offense than ever.

That led to White launching 4.0 pull-up 3s per contest, per NBA Stats. That's double what he was taking during the Celtics' 2023-24 championship run. He was averaging 3.0 in 2024-25.

He made 35.2 percent en route to Banner 18, then saw his success rate dip to 34.1 percent as his volume increased the following year. That proved to be a sign of what would happen if he raised his output of pull-up attempts again.

Derrick White could benefit from Payton Pritchard starting

There's a compelling case for keeping the former Sixth Man of the Year in that role in the 2026-27 campaign. However, if he starts, he can be the one bringing the ball up. At least most of the time.

Pritchard is quite impactful when doing so.

Allowing him to be the primary starter handling that responsibility would help White. It would take some of this taxing responsibility off his plate. For a 32-year-old who's shouldering a heavy workload at both ends of the floor, there's a clear benefit to going this route.

Furthermore, White is an outstanding catch-and-shoot option. In each of the two seasons before 2025-26, he knocked down over 40 percent of those three-point attempts. He buried 39 percent the year before those.

Getting more out of White in that capacity would be a boost to the offense and his confidence from beyond the arc. Overall, he was highly productive in the most recent campaign. He earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team and his 3.09 assist-to-turnover ratio was one of the best in the league.

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson went as far as declaring him a top-five player in the Association. The Celtics will need more from White as a shooter next season if they're going to contend in a more formidable Eastern Conference. His track record suggests that he'll step up to the challenge.

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