Boston Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens called Derrick White a “perfect fit” for the current roster.
“We felt really fortunate to be able to get a guy like that on a long contract that we think is, again, you know, a perfect fit for our best players,” Stevens said Friday morning, via ESPN.
White was acquired from San Antonio in exchange for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 first-round pick (protected 1-4) and a 2028 pick-swap.
This season, White is averaging 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 43%/31%/87% shooting splits.
White is also a tenacious defender who many think will compliment All-NBA Defensive guard Marcus Smart in the Boston backcourt.
Still, some pundits are skeptical about the Celtics’ lack of shooting; Grant Williams is the only consistent rotation player shooting above 35% from three.
It will be curious to see if the Celtics’ shooting – which is comprised of a multitude of players shooting career-low percentages – will rise to the law of averages.
Notably, the Celtics have White, Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams III, and recently re-acquired power-forward/center Daniel Theis signed long-term.