In the wake of the Celtics’ disastrous playoff loss to the 76ers, fans were out in full force with pitchforks and torches. One of the main culprits in Boston was Derrick White, who struggled to shoot the ball all season long and completely fell off a cliff in the playoffs, becoming a borderline liability on offense.
White’s name was popping up in the trade machine left and right, with people imagining his $30+ million salary being used to bring another star to Boston. The idea made some sense after a tough year, with the idea of selling somewhat high as he’s set to turn 32 next season.
But the more time passes, the more time there is to process everything that happened, and the more time to analyze fake White trades, the clearer it becomes that getting rid of White would be a massive risk for the Celtics.
Proven two-way guards in high demand
D-White is far from perfect, and he’s never going to be an offensive engine or a lead initiator, but he does almost everything well on a basketball court. Even with the down shooting year, he’s a positive on the offensive end, he’s a capable ballhandler and playmaker, and if his shot bounces back, there’s no reason he can’t be a real weapon again.
Furthermore, his defense hasn’t fallen off one bit and is arguably better than ever. He made First-Team All-Defense for the first time in his career, and has a legitimate case as the best guard defender in the entire league.
Watching the playoffs, and specifically the West Finals between the Thunder and Spurs, it’s blatantly evident that two-way guards are more important than ever. Teams need multiple guys who can handle the ball, shoot, and make some plays in a high-intensity playoff setting while holding their own on the other end.
Finding another Derrick White won't be easy
White has proven he fits that mold, and even if his offense doesn’t come all the way back, his skill set is going to be very hard to replace. The extravagant trade ideas for a third star are great, but when push comes to shove, teams need guys to do the little things and the dirty work, and Derrick does those things as well as anyone.
He’s a champion and an Olympic Gold Medalist, and even as he enters his 30s, his contract is still a great value for all that he provides. If there’s a no-brainer move on the table that will drastically improve the team and keep them in contention for years to come, so be it. But sometimes you don’t know what it’s got until it’s gone, and the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Derrick White has established himself as a Celtics legend and someone who can be trusted when the stakes are highest. That’s not something that’s going to be easy to replace.
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