Key Celtics Piece Angling for Extension During NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics are only two wins away from their 18th franchise championship, but that hasn't stopped the speculation about the team's future beyond the NBA Finals.

One key piece of the Celtics, guard Derrick White, will be seeking a contract extension this summer per NBA insider Marc Stein. White will turn 30 next month and is scheduled to earn $19.5 million in 2024-25, the final year of his deal.

Since Brad Stevens fleeced the San Antonio Spurs to acquire White in 2022, White has continued to improve and solidified himself as a fan favorite and made a name for himself as a defender. He has averaged 13.3 points per game as a Celtic and earned a spot on the All-NBA Defensive Second Team in 2022 and 2023.

White finished eight in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season. His performance has been met with faith from Boston's coaching staff, as he ranked second on the team in minutes played this season.

As things currently stand, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all locked up long term. Jayson Tatum will be eligible for a $315 million extension this summer, so quite a bit of capital will be committed to that group, as Stein noted:

"Keeping his five best players together for the long term is going to get increasingly difficult (as in expensive) for Brad Stevens and the Celtics after the forthcoming offseason, when Jayson Tatum signs his own $315 million contract extension after Jaylen Brown scored a nearly $290 million extension last summer. We must also factor in that Derrick White, according to league sources, will be seeking a contract extension this summer."

- NBA Insider Marc Stein

It will be difficult for Brad Stevens and Boston's basketball brass to navigate financially, but if this team finishes off the Mavericks and hangs banner 18, it will be hard to justify not doing everything to keep the pieces together.

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