Derrick White has agreed to a four-year, $125.9MM extension with the Celtics, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The deal includes a player option in the final season, Wojnarowski adds.
The extension will take effect with the 2025/26 season, and White’s yearly salaries are projected to be $28.1MM, $30.3MM, $32.6MM and $34.8MM, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter link). It’s the maximum amount White was eligible to get based on his current deal, but he might have landed more if he had waited for free agency next summer.
Signing White to a long-term contract was an offseason priority for the Celtics, who are also hoping to reach extensions with Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser. Boston is reportedly re-signing Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, so the core of the championship roster is likely to remain together for a while.
If Tatum agrees to a supermax extension this summer, as expected, Boston could have the most expensive team in league history next season and may top $200MM in salary by 2025/26, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Tax penalties are set to increase next year under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, so management will have to determine how long it’s willing to accept that extra expense.
White, 29, has excelled in Boston since being acquired from San Antonio at the 2022 trade deadline. He averaged 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 73 games last season while earning a second-team spot on the All-Defensive team.
White wasn’t a highly touted prospect when the Spurs selected him out of Colorado with the 29th pick in the 2017 draft. He established himself as a starter in San Antonio and is now considered one of the league’s best two-way guards.
15 ppg gets 125m. Crazy times
He was the 3rd, maybe 4th most important piece to a championship team. Not really an overpay when looking at what some of the other NBA players are making.
$31.5M a year is an overpay for a 3rd – 4th option, even on a championship team.
Don’t get me wrong, DW is a really good player, but he now makes considerably more than Brunson, and Dejounte, and nearly as much as Shai and D-Mitch.
Nope , if hartenstein(who can’t shoot or create his own shot) can get 30m DW definitely deserves this contract.
He definitely isn’t worth 30 mill.
DWhite doesn’t dominate the ball on offense. Makes clutch shots. And he plays outstanding defense which still wins titles. I love Brunson but give me Derrick.
The PPG sum up only a tiny fraction of his value. 2nd team All-Defense (which may even be underrating him), 46/40/90 shooting splits, can make plays as well as any PG. 12.4+ net rating per 100 when he was on the court. 1st in the league among starters, ahead of Jokic, Tatum, and SGA.
Thanks! You forgot … DW makes threes during clutch time.
Uhh he plays with Tatum and Brown… what world are you expecting him to average more. I didn’t even include Jrue and KP on the team. You need to look at the player overall game.
Wouldn’t average any more on a different team. Not worth the money. Celtics are headed for cap hell.
Oh yes the poor Celtics. Whatever will they do.
OMG that is hilarious. Celtic have 13 of last years guys under contract for 3 + years. They just drafted two guys…
Yeah they are in cap hell, but not for 3 years.
The new NBA TV contract is going to send the salary cap through the roof. Not a bad deal plus he was a extremely viable piece
We’re already going to forgot what he did in the postseason , got it!
You clearly didn’t saw him playing. He’s doing a lot more than scoring 15ppg.
He deserve every dollar. He would have got more money on the free market in my opinion, but both sides wanted this extension so they’ve got it done.
Don’t out yourself as a casual by citing his ppg as the basis of an overpay. White is the third most important player to that a team. Several franchises would gladly pay White the same.
@ Mahmoud.
You’re a casual.
Just because he said these are crazy times means he’s a casual?
The 10 of you here are off base. All he wrote was that salaries are growing quickly and even the fourth best player on the team can get 30 million. Yes these are crazy times and it doesn’t mean I’m a casual to say it.
I do understand the flip side which is wow 30 million isn’t much anymore, the stars are making 50 million PLUS, so this really isn’t an overpay for Derrick White. It’s pretty much in line. Great player and I love him to death.
I think he meant the astronomical jump in pay. That’s crazy but here.
Casual
You obviously haven’t seen him play
Gotta back Mahmoud and Gary here. The guy ain’t a casual for saying crazy because times are getting crazy. Because yeah, wow. White is good but no 4th or even 5th option is earning ing that in the league. Before the argument. JT & JB. Then KP and even Jrue. He’s likely 5th option. No denying he earnt it and he’s worth that to C’s but in FA he’s a 20-25mm guy.
It’s means C’s starting 5 all earn over 30+ next season. Plus Tatums extension talks, no wonder owner is selling high!! NBA is getting expensive.
8 years ago Mike Conley signed a 5 year contract for 153 million.
Well they said they’d pay their guys and this is proof.
No argument is an overpay, but he was a pivotal piece in the chip. He earnt a big payday excessive as it may be. C’s fans will always overrate him but he’s been solid. Happy for the guy, after his very sad loss of his hair line of course.
The way things are going in these “crazy times” this isn’t even an overpay. The top guys are making 50 plus. A championship starter of this level can easily make 30.
Well deserved correct contract for a hard worker and great player.
Couldn’t agree more slight overpay to other teams, earned and deserved reward from C’s.
The salaries are rising faster than the cap can keep up. I accept the inflation stuff just think about Magic’s lifetime lakers contract at 30mm everyone thought they were crazy. That’s a Derrick White for a year now! It’s the way of the world. Imagine, the speed it’s going in 10 years stars will be on 100+.
All are overpaid. Stars making $50+ mill? A year? Relatively speaking, Derrick is fairly paid. He’s very important to the Celts.
For a roster that is complete, great move. Maybe a slight overpay in a vacuum, not even sure that’s true, but locking him in is key since they will be over the cap for the foreseeable without the ability to add meaningful FAs.
If I “had” to lose one of the starting 5, sorry. It would be Derrick (slightly over KP)
Nope, no way. DW is the third most important player on the team.
Great signing here! White is very underrated!