The Boston Celtics have embraced tomorrow and accepted a fate that some fans may not be eager to support. All signs point to Boston prioritizing its financial future above all else, thus looking toward long-term success over continued dominance of the Eastern Conference.
For as true as that may be, there are still games to be played—and Derrick White will carry a heavey burden as he becomes the player the Celtics need him to be.
Perhaps Boston would be operating under different circumstances had Jayson Tatum not suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. It likely still would've moved off of some of its more prohibitive contracts, but a greater sense of urgency to continue contending may have existed.
Rather than lamenting what could've been, however, the Celtics are moving forward with a plan that will task White with taking a massive step forward on offense.
White's value can't be limited to any one area, of course, as he's the epitome of a well-rounded contributor. He's a high-level on and off-ball defender, as well as a capable shot creator and playmaker, and borderline elite three-point shooter.
If the Celtics are going to overcome the vast number of departures, however, White will need to play with a new level of assertiveness on offense.
Celtics need Derrick White to play with an assertive mentality on offense
Boston played the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons with one of the deepest collections of shot creators in the NBA. At any time, it could depend on one of Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Payton Pritchard, Tatum, or White for a key bucket.
Holiday, Horford, and Porzingis were all either traded or allowed to walk in free agency, however, and Tatum is likely to miss the entire 2025-26 season.
That leaves Brown, Pritchard, and White to fill the void left behind by four of the Celtics' most important, productive, and reliable players. Perhaps Anfernee Simons will prove valuable to those efforts, but he's already rumored to be a player Boston is looking to trade.
With this in mind, it's on White to step up and provide stability in a high-volume role as Pritchard faces the inevitable learning curve of a potential starting role.
The upside is that White averaged a career-best 16.4 points and 3.5 three-point field goals made in 2024-25, as well as a career-high 5.2 assists in 2023-24. He also went off for a career-high 41 points in 2024-25—one of his 17 games with at least 20 points.
White added another five 20-point outings to his tally during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, including a stretch of three straight games with at least 25.
That offers reason for optimism that White can live up to heightened expectations. It also exemplifies how close he is to becoming the consistent source of star-caliber scoring numbers that the Celtics need him to be with Tatum out and three other key players departing.
Many have wondered if White would be willing to embrace an elevated status on offense, but circumstances may have created the role for him.