Derrick White has been a big part of the Boston Celtics' success ever since they acquired him from the San Antonio Spurs in 2022. He had a breakout season in 2022-23, was part of one of the best defensive backcourts at least in franchise history alongside Jrue Holiday from 2023-25 (and they definitely don't win it all without him in 2024), and he helped keep the team afloat amid what most expected to be a gap year last season.
But White is about to be 32 years old (for some context, he's only about four months younger than Marcus Smart) is fresh off one of the most inefficient campaigns of his career (39.4/32.7% shooting splits in the regular season, 32.1/27.3% shooting splits in the playoffs), and already proved he can't excel as a second or third option (which is a role he will likely continue to have moving forward).
There's a lot to like about the Colorado native and what he's brought to this Celtics team since joining the squad a few years ago. But it's also fair to say that his best days are likely behind him, and it's only a matter of time before they have to find his eventual replacement.
Derrick White is great, but he's a complementary player for a reason
White is an incredibly smart basketball player, one of the best defenders in the league (and might be the best shot-blocking guard of all time), and is the perfect complement to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown because of his ability to fill the margins and contribute in every area of the game.
However, he is also someone who struggled shooting the ball last season, likely because he had to bite off more than he could chew, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. And while this isn't the end-all, be-all, it is still important for the team to keep in mind moving forward.
Boston's short- and long-term outlook are a bit questionable, mostly because nobody knows what the roster is even going to look like two months from now (is Brown about to be gone? Is Giannis Antetokounmpo making his way to the Celtics? Who's their center going to be next season?), but the reality is that it's very possible White is either going to be traded at some point soon, or he's going to be tasked with taking on a bigger role once again (especially since his contract isn't getting any cheaper).
Neither of those options are ideal for Boston, and sooner or later, they are going to learn that the hard way.
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