The most important Celtics player isn’t named Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown

When the Boston Celtics come to mind, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown jump into the foreground. The former led the team in points, rebounds, and assists during their 2024 postseason campaign, and the latter won Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals MVP awards. But neither is the most important player on the Celtics. That’s Derrick White.

White joined the squad mid-way through their 2022 NBA Finals run. A wonky first half of the season was offset by a massive push to end the year, and White was a huge part of that. Boston fell short in the Finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors, but ever since then, White has been an essential part of the puzzle for the guys in green.

During the 2023-24 season, White received an All-Star push, and though he ultimately fell short of that honor, he still earned his second straight All-Defensive Team nod.

Derrick White is the most important player on the Celtics

Tatum and Brown are the best two players on the Celtics. There is no debate in that regard. In fact, when healthy, there’s an argument that Kristaps Porzingis is better than White. Jrue Holiday could even be thrown into a similar conversation. But being “better” isn’t the end-all, be-all of importance.

By locking up their core on long-term contracts, the Celtics committed to rolling with this group of guys for the next half-decade. They have very little flexibility now. This is the squad they will be competing for titles with.

Obviously, Tatum and Brown are the heads of the snake. But they can’t do it alone. Superstars are needed to win in this league, but if last season proved anything, it’s that the Celtics are at their best when playing a team brand of basketball.

Porzingis’ injury issues are making him more like a luxury than a necessity at this point. The Celtics went 10-2 in the playoffs with him on the sidelines.

Holiday is crucial to Boston’s success, but if the long-term plans are being taken into account, he also brings some question marks. His game likely won’t fall off a cliff, but at 34 years old, it’s not crazy to think he could be taking on less and less responsibility moving forward.

That leaves White. As Tatum and Brown lead the way, they need a steady hand guiding them. Holiday, Porzingis, and even Al Horford will be there, but White’s continued development is the most important part of the long-term puzzle in Boston.

If he can improve even further next season, then a potential three-to-four year championship window would get extended even further. Tatum and Brown are the best players in Boston, but White is the most important.

He’s the glue that will keep their championship mold together.