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Derrick White’s days in San Antonio are done. The former Colorado Buffaloes standout guard was sent to the Boston Celtics ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline in-exchange for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford and a protected future first-round pick.
The move will allow White to take on a more transitional role after earning time as a regular starter with the Spurs. The 27-year-old has averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 assists per game this season. It’s very likely he’ll give the Celtics a much-needed boost with experience as a true point guard.
White was selected by San Antonio in the first round (29th overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft. He has spent his five-year career in the league averaging 11.6 points per game as a good fit in the Spurs rotation.
However, with White carrying a $69 million price tag over the next four years, the best move for San Antonio was to cut the team’s top salary on the books. He finished with 17 points (6-13 FG), four rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals in 32 minutes during Wednesday’s 105-92 road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Celtics are currently sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 31-25 record ahead of the All-Star Break. They’re riding a six-game winning streak and are 4.5 games out of first before the second half of the season.