Derrick White On Playing For Celtics: ‘I Love It In Boston’

The San Antonio Spurs traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics in February 2022, and the former first-rounder has enjoyed playing every minute in Beantown since then.

Derrick White To Start New Contract With Celtics

White helped win the Celtics an NBA championship in 2024 against the Dallas Mavericks, and he has received two All-Defensive Second-Team selections with the marquee franchise.

Per Spotrac, White is set to begin a four-year, $118 million contract. His deal includes a $34.84 million player option for the 2028-29 season, $7.84 million in total incentives, and a 15% trade bonus.

“The third extension was much more relaxed. Not down to the wire. I didn’t want to play nowhere else. Like I wanted to be in Boston. I’ve always said that,” White said Monday on the “White Noise Podcast w/Derrick White.”

“It was pretty simple, pretty straightforward. And so, signing that I was super excited just to stay in Boston, to continue to be a Celtic, hopefully do great things in Boston. More years in Boston.”

White Averaged Career-High Numbers With Boston

White, who turned 31 on July 2, is coming off his most productive campaign. In 76 games (all starts) last season, he averaged career highs of 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds to go with 4.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per contest.

In Boston’s 128-118 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 5, the Colorado product recorded a career-best 41 points on 14-of-26 (53.8%) shooting from the floor and 9-for-17 (52.9%) from 3-point territory.

According to Basketball Reference, White also set the Celtics franchise record for the most 3-pointers made in a single season with 265, finishing ahead of fellow teammates Payton Pritchard (255) and Jayson Tatum (250).

Simply put, White hopes to remain with the C’s.

“Like, this is this is what I want and so this is what my family wants. Boston has been good. My kids were born in Boston, I kind of developed as a player in Boston, and that’s really what it was about. It’s like, ‘What’s going to make me happy?’ And I knew that was going to be in Boston. I love it in Boston,” he added.

C’s Were Listening To Trade Offers

Earlier this offseason, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Get Up that “most of [the Celtics’] heavy lifting is done,” so a team acquiring either Jaylen Brown or White will not come cheap. Brown is in the midst of a five-year, $304 million supermax contract.

More importantly, Boston prefers to retain both Brown and White, as Jayson Tatum will likely be sidelined for all of next season. The C’s are expected to have a down year after trading veteran guard Jrue Holiday to Portland and big man Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.

Boston saved an estimated $180 million in luxury tax penalties by moving both players.

In fact, the Celtics are reportedly listening to offers for two other players.

“There’s a couple of other players, Sam Hauser, Anfernee Simons, that at minimum if they do want to continue to shed even more out of the first apron, out of the luxury tax, they could,” Charania reported in June.

“There’s heavy interest in those two guys, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but a very, very high price threshold if anybody wants them.”

Boston has also been linked to former Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons.