Inside The Celtics

Derrick White, Essential to Celtics' Dynasty Hopes, Signs 4-Year Extension

Bobby Krivitsky

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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While the Knicks and Sixers have made significant splashes to upgrade their rosters in hopes of dethroning the defending NBA champions, the Celtics still boast the best top six in the Association.

It's a core ownership is spending to keep intact in hopes of parlaying Banner 18 into the start of a dynasty.

The latest move was essential to those aspirations, with Boston reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $125.9 million extension with Derrick White, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a player option.

Including likely bonuses, that's the maximum amount White could have signed for. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the structure of his contract is as follows.

The former Colorado Buffalo has continuously improved, ascending into an All-Star caliber player and the best role player in the NBA.

White averaged 15.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in the 2023-24 campaign, which are personal bests. He swiped a steal per game, matching his most in a season, and distributed 5.2 assists. He also knocked down 39.6% of the 6.8 threes he hoisted.

The seventh-year guard also earned his second straight All-Defensive Second Team selection. He ranked in the 91st percentile in estimated defensive plus-minus, per dunksandthrees.com.

He also finished the regular season 15th in defensive win shares, and his 1.2 blocks per contest were the second most by a guard, trailing only six-foot-seven Scottie Barnes, who swatted 1.5 shots per tilt.

White generated 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, and nearly a steal per game in the playoffs. He also buried 40.4% of the 8.5 shots he took from beyond the arc.

The Parker, Colorado native's journey from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, whose list of NBA alums starts and ends with him, to becoming an NBA champion has seen him go from a player who his former head coach Gregg Popovich sensed questioned whether he belonged on basketball's highest level to gaining the self-belief necessary to maximize his potential.

"Nobody believed I could be here," White told Brian Scalabrine and Eddie House on NBC Sports Boston after the Celtics' championship-clinching Game 5 win over the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. "And so, just stay in the gym, grind, and then that next year, just gaining confidence, do what I do, and this year, man, (the) sky's the limit."

"I can't talk about much with things that we're not allowed to discuss until Jul. 1, but Derrick has had an amazing year," voiced Celtics' president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, in April. "Derrick is a huge, huge part of our team, and we want him around for as long as we can keep him."

A day before his 30th birthday, he's received a gift that he, the franchise he plays for, and the Celtics fan base will celebrate. It's a present paramount to Boston's efforts to quickly provide additional company for Banner 18 in the TD Garden rafters.

Further Reading

Celtics, Jayson Tatum Agree to Most Lucrative Deal in NBA History

Celtics' Ownership Group Announces Plan to Sell the Franchise

Celtics Continue Shoring Up Depth at Center, Re-Sign Neemias Queta

Celtics Work Quickly to Re-Sign Luke Kornet

Brad Stevens Shares His Outlook on Celtics' Draft Picks

Baylor Scheierman Shares Celtics' Feedback Before Drafting Him

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player

Jayson Tatum, an NBA Champion Entering Peak of His Powers

Jaylen Brown Caps Career Year with NBA Finals MVP: 'Can't Even Put it into Words'

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Bobby Krivitsky

BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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