Derrick White Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Rumors: Hornets, Salaun, Nets, Celtics, Spurs

June 26th, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets are considering Tidjane Salaun with the No. 6 pick, sources tell Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The French power forward has been rising up draft boards recently.

Salaun had to cancel workouts with Charlotte and Detroit after spraining his ankle during a recent session in San Antonio, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. He did work out for the Trail Blazers, who hold the seventh pick, and the Spurs are believed to have interest at No. 8, so there’s a good chance he’ll be selected somewhere in the middle of the lottery. Oklahoma City (No. 12) and Sacramento (No. 13) also hosted workouts with Salaun.

Here are a few more rumors as the draft draws closer:

The Nets are “open for business” after reaching an agreement to trade Mikal Bridges to New York, tweets Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith are among the players believed to be available as Brooklyn tries to move into the first round.
The Celtics are shopping the final pick in the first round in hopes of acquiring some extra selections later on, a source tells Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb notes that Boston sent out two second-round picks to acquire Xavier Tillman from Memphis and another in the Jaden Springer deal with Philadelphia, so the team is short on second-rounders. A source tells Robb the Celtics are planning offseason extensions with Derrick White and Sam Hauser, so it will be important to fill out the roster as inexpensively as possible.
The Spurs will be looking for shooters with at least one of their lottery picks, general manager Brian Wright told Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The team ranked 28th in three-point shooting percentage this season. “We broke the (franchise) record for (total) three-pointers, but then percentage-wise we’re towards the bottom end of the league, right?” Wright said. “So I think you obviously want to add shooting.” McDonald views Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard as a possible shooting upgrade with the fourth pick if he slips past Houston at No. 3, while Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht is in the mix at No. 8.

And-Ones: Role Players, Extension Candidates, Team Tiers, SLC Summer League

June 22nd, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Tristan Tucker

Derrick White was a home-run addition for the Celtics back in 2022. After he was acquired for a modest package from the Spurs, White established himself as one of the best defenders in the league and played a crucial role in Boston’s title run. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer takes a look at 10 other role players league-wide who could follow in White’s footsteps and play important parts on title contenders down the line.

O’Connor breaks the 10 players down into three categories. Hidden gems are players who had some success in their careers but were willing to tweak their games to help their teams win, like White and Denver’s Bruce Brown last year. Reinventable talents are players like Kristaps Porzingis or Aaron Gordon who were lottery talents who were best able to showcase their skills in downsized roles. Lastly, proven veterans like Jrue Holiday and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, guys who have title game experience, are crucial to success.

Collin Sexton, Ayo Dosunmu, Deni Avdija, Day’Ron Sharpe and Luke Kennard make up O’Connor’s hidden gems category; Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and Patrick Williams are the reinventable talents; and Mikal Bridges and Bruce Brown are proven veterans to trade for, with Brown having switched categories following his success in Denver.

It remains to be seen which of these players are actually obtainable but most, if not all, have found their names in trade rumors at one point or another. Williams (restricted), Kennard (team option) and Brown (team option) could all hit free agency this summer.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Jayson Tatum is eligible for a super-max, five-year extension worth up to $315MM this offseason. Fresh off a title, extending him will be a priority for the Celtics. ESPN’s Bobby Marks analyzes 17 stars across the league who are extension-eligible, including Tatum and White (ESPN+ link). Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell and Brandon Ingram are other key extension candidates to watch, as all are eligible in July.
As it stands, Boston might be the one fully-formed title contender heading into the offseason, with teams like the Mavericks, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Thunder all considered one move away from launching into that tier, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (ESPN+ link). Bontemps breaks down all 30 teams into tiers heading into the summer, including contenders, emerging teams, those who are stuck, and those who are rebuilding. Two teams — the Heat and the Warriors — are teams with big money tied up but have huge questions about their identity. Bontemps also identifies the Rockets and Grizzlies as teams who could move up in the Western Conference’s hierarchy next season.
The NBA announced its three-day schedule for Salt Lake City Summer League, with the Thunder, Sixers, Grizzlies and Jazz set to compete. The event tips off on July 8 and runs through July 10. Day one provides matchups between the Thunder (who hold the No. 12 pick) and Sixers (No. 16 pick), as well as the Grizzlies (No. 9 pick) and Jazz (No. 10 pick). Some younger players like Utah’s Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh could see playing time in the event, as well as each team’s 2024 draftees.

Stein’s Latest: Brown, Van Gundy, Coaching Carousel, More

June 19th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Raptors are still determining how they plan to move forward with Bruce Brown‘s $23MM team option for 2024/25, NBA insider Marc Stein relays in his latest around-the-league notebook. The Pacers originally signed Brown to the two-year, $45MM deal last summer in a successful effort to poach him from Denver, then traded him as part of a package to acquire Pascal Siakam.

According to Stein, numerous teams expect the Raptors to pick up that option to help facilitate a trade further down the road.

Brown played in 67 games (44 starts) between the Pacers and Raptors last season, averaging 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists contest one year after helping Denver win the championship.

We have more from Stein:

Before joining Tyronn Lue‘s staff in Los Angeles as an assistant, Jeff Van Gundy was pursued by the New Zealand Breakers of Australia’s National Basketball League to be their head coach, Stein reports. The Breakers formally requested permission from the Celtics to interview Van Gundy, who spent the year as a special adviser in Boston’s basketball operations room, but were told he had another coaching opportunity lined up already (with the Clippers).
J.J. Redick is the overwhelming favorite to be hired as the Lakers‘ head coach, while James Borrego is still considered the frontrunner to get the Cavaliers‘ job, according to Stein. Though he cautions that anything can happen, as of Wednesday Stein expects those two positions to be filled by those candidates soon.
Jayson Tatum and Derrick White‘s contract extensions with the Celtics are viewed as inevitable, Stein writes. Tatum is eligible for a five-year, $315MM deal that would make him the highest-paid player in NBA history.
Klay Thompson is in Houston training with Team Bahamas ahead of Olympic qualifiers, but likely would never have been able to participate in the tournament due to the timing of the event (July 2-7). An unrestricted free agent with an injury history, Thompson — like other free agents — can’t officially sign a new contract until July 6, making any play before then an unnecessary risk. Even if he were willing to make that risk, Thompson likely wouldn’t have received clearance from USA Basketball anyways after the organization was criticized last year for allowing Eric Gordon to join the Bahamas, which won a pre-qualifying tournament, Stein writes.
Stein confirms reports that Atlanta has been unable to secure an in-person workout with Alexandre Sarr, increasing rumblings that the Hawks may select Zaccharie Risacher first overall.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics FAs, White, Hauser, Raptors, Missi, Porter

June 18th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have all of their rotation players signed through next season and they could have even more continuity, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Reserve centers Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Neemias Queta are headed to free agency but the Celtics are open to bringing any or all of them back if the price is reasonable.

The Celtics are also willing to do more extensions beyond a potential super-max deal for Jayson Tatum. They’re interested in locking up Derrick White and Sam Hauser and both are extension-eligible this offseason. White is eligible for a four-year, $127MM extension — including incentives — and the front office will likely need to go that high to get White’s signature.

The team holds a $2MM option on Hauser’s contract for next season. The Celtics could offer a creative deal with the second tax apron in mind. In that scenario, they’d decline the option, then re-sign him for a lower annual salary and more years than an extension that started in 2025/26.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors hold the No. 19 and 31 picks in this year’s draft. The Athletic’s Eric Koreen takes a look at some of the guard prospects they might consider at those spots, including USC’s Isaiah Collier, Duke’s Jared McCain and Houston’s Jamal Shead.
Baylor center Yves Missi participated in a pre-draft workout for the Sixers on Tuesday at their practice facility, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Sixers have picks 16 and 41 in the draft. Missi is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Canadian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the Jontay Porter betting scandal, ESPN’s David Purdum reports. They will try to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted after evaluating information related to “online betting irregularities from the Jan. 26 and March 20 Raptors games.” Porter was a two-way player for Toronto before he received a lifetime ban from the league.

And-Ones: White, Leonard, Embiid, Haliburton, 2024 Free Agency, More

June 15th, 2024 at 11:25am CST by Tristan Tucker

Derrick White is a real contender to replace Kawhi Leonard on Team USA for this year’s Paris Olympics if Leonard is unable to suit up, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter video link via Clutch Points’ Tomer Azarly).

White’s emerged as one of the league’s best defensive players over the past few seasons and he’s been a large part of Boston’s championship aspirations. This season, White averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steal per game in the regular season while being named to the All-Defensive Second Team. Through 18 playoff games, White is averaging 16.9 PPG.

Leonard was named to the 12-man Olympic roster but battled through knee inflammation toward the end of this season, which kept him out of the Clippers’ final three playoff games. When healthy, Leonard averaged 23.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 68 games for the Clippers this season.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid was hobbled through the playoffs and missed more than half the regular season but he’s still on track to suit up for Team USA starting next month, according to ESPN. “I’m doing great. Just getting ready for the Olympics,” Embiid said on ABC on Friday night. “It’s going to be big for me because I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a kid.” Embiid chose to play for the United States over France and Cameroon.
Like Embiid, Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton expects to be healthy by the time he suits up for the U.S., according to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak. “The hamstring is good,” Haliburton said. “… Today I ran for the first time full speed. I got another three weeks before USA. I feel good. I’m really excited to get out there and do that.” Haliburton missed 10 games in January with his hamstring injury, then re-injured it during the Eastern Conference finals.
The NBA offseason has begun for 28 teams, and with no more than three games left in the season, we’re starting to have a clearer idea of what decisions teams will be making this summer. Bobby Marks of ESPN (ESPN+ link) breaks down some of these key decisions and potential contract details in a 2024 free agency/offseason primer. Some of the most important decisions impacting the course of the offseason include what the Hawks do at No. 1 overall in the draft, whether or not Donovan Mitchell extends with the Cavaliers and what LeBron James‘ next contract looks like.
Several teams are flush with cap space this offseason, including the Sixers — a team with two stars under contract that now has ample spending power. In an article predicting the biggest moves of the 2024 offseason, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report speculates that Philadelphia winds up signing Paul George to a max contract. In addition, Pincus predicts Klay Thompson, Malik Monk and Tobias Harris head to Orlando and Isaiah Hartenstein signs with Oklahoma City.

Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Holiday, Davison, Peterson, White

June 11th, 2024 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kristaps Porzingis‘ unusual leg injury is something the Celtics big man can play through but he’ll eventually need surgery, a medical expert told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).

Porzingis is listed as questionable to play in Game 3 of the Finals due to a “torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg.”

Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in Boston and former Lakers consultant, told Washburn he’s only seen a injury like Porzingis’ once in 25 years.

“A lot of times the ankle and the tendon can be taped to allow play,” Khazzari said. “There are even some braces that they can use that helps protect the tendon. I don’t think it’s something that he’s gonna make worse by just playing, especially if he’s just running up and down the court and even some lateral movements may be OK. This can be a repetitive issue if he has awkward landings or with his foot in certain positions that causes subluxation of the tendon. I don’t think it’s a season-ending injury.”

We have more on the Celtics:

The addition of Jrue Holiday has Boston two wins away from a championship. Holiday has provided stability to the starting unit and he can put up big numbers when needed, as his 26-point, 11-rebound effort in Game 2 exhibits, Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press writes. “It’s been great and the journey’s been awesome, but at the end of the day, the job is not done,” he said.
Two-way contract players JD Davison and Drew Peterson have been in the stands during the Finals because they’re ineligible to suit up and there’s no room on the Celtics’ bench. They’re cheering the home team and jeering the opponent just as much as the fans, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s definitely like being a fan and being on the team at the same time,” Davison said. “When everybody’s standing up and cheering, I’m one of the ones standing and cheering with them. We just wanted to be a part of everything and support the guys, honestly, so we’ll take whatever seats we can get.”
Derrick White was traded from the Spurs to the Celtics during the 2021/22 season but he still hears Gregg Popovich’s voice when he’s playing, he told Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. “The simple play always is the right play. That’s something I took from (Popovich), and it’s been great for my career,” White said.

Celtics Notes: White, Walsh, Horford, Series Outlook

June 10th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s going to get even more expensive for the Celtics to keep their core group together. Derrick White, who has excelled during the postseason, will be seeking a contract extension this summer, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

White will make $20MM next season in the last year of the four-year deal he signed with the Spurs. He’s eligible for another four-year deal that would max out in the neighborhood of $126MM. The remainder of the Celtics’ starting lineup is signed through at least the 2025/26 season, with all making at least $29MM per season.

We have more on the Celtics:

The lone rookie on the team, Jordan Walsh, has only appeared in two postseason games but he’s contributing in other ways, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com writes. He’s trying to push Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown whenever he’s matched up against the star wing duo in practice. “I’m here to kill you in practice. I don’t care who you are, I’m trying to kill. So that’s kind of the mentality I have,” he said.
Al Horford‘s experience and leadership is invaluable to the team, Baxter Holmes of ESPN writes in a feature story. “The bottom line is, we are much better because Al Horford is on our team, and everybody in the room is better because Al Horford is on the team,” top executive Brad Stevens said. “That’s the most important thing. He raises all ships. That’s just the way he’s always been. We don’t take that for granted. We know how important he is.” Horford’s on-court contributions have remained steady –he’s averaging 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in the postseason.
The ESPN trio of Brian Windhorst, Marc Spears and Dave McMenamin provide their observations and expectations for the remainder of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Mavericks.

Celtics Notes: Best Player Debate, Holiday, Porzingis, MVP Candidates

June 10th, 2024 at 7:58am CST by Arthur Hill

It seems the Celtics don’t really care who their best player is. After Mavericks coach Jason Kidd tried a bit of psychological warfare over the weekend by suggesting that it’s Jaylen Brown rather than Jayson Tatum, Boston responded with a stellar team effort Sunday night to claim a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Brown contributed 21 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Tatum suffered through another poor shooting night at 6-of 22 from the field but barely missed a triple-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists. Jrue Holiday led the team in scoring with 26 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, and Derrick White chipped in 18 points and five boards.

“I’m really tired of hearing about one guy or this guy or that guy and everybody trying to make it out to be anything other than Celtic basketball,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Everybody that stepped on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the floor. (That) is the most important thing.”

Though Tatum typically carries the scoring load, Weiss notes that Mazzulla’s strategy for Game 2 was to have him draw double teams in the post and find teammates cutting to the basket. Dallas tried to clog the middle and shut off passes to three-point shooters, but that often left Holiday with a clear path to the rim. Holiday weighed in on the controversy that Kidd tried to create, saying he enjoys playing alongside Tatum and Brown.

“So just to address the comment yesterday, I do not prefer one or the other. I prefer both,” Holiday said. “Both of them are superstars, and it’s being shown out here on the biggest stage in the world.”

There’s more from Boston:

Holiday deserves consideration in any debate about the Celtics’ best player, observes Matt Finn of The Boston Globe. In addition to his scoring and rebounding, the veteran guard played his usual relentless defense on Sunday, limiting Kyrie Irving to a 7-of-18 night from the field and making Luka Doncic earn all 32 of his points. Holiday also brings a championship pedigree to Boston’s backcourt after winning a title with Milwaukee in 2021. “He has that experience, that just championship DNA, which you hear all about all the time,” White said. “You don’t really know what it takes until you do what it takes. Just the moment he came to our team in training camp, he kind of just had that presence about him. He just knows how to win.”
Kristaps Porzingis isn’t concerned about his right leg after tweaking it late in Sunday’s game, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Porzingis returned for the Finals after missing more than a month with a right calf strain, and he doesn’t believe the latest incident will prevent him from playing. “Obviously something happened a little bit,” Porzingis said. “But I have a couple days again (before Wednesday’s Game 3). Believe me, we will do everything we can to be back and moving well. … I’ll die out there if we need. Just kept going. Obviously I was a little limited, so smart thing was to get Al (Horford) back in there and close out the game.”
Tatum may be the favorite for Finals MVP honors even though he’s only shooting 12-of-38 in the series, according to Matt Vatour of MassLive, who ranks the top candidates through two games.

Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Brown, Mazzulla, Kyrie, Takeaways

June 7th, 2024 at 3:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Making his first appearance in five-plus weeks due to a strained right calf he sustained in the first round, big man Kristaps Porzingis gave the Celtics a major spark off the bench in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The 28-year-old finished with 20 points (on 8-of-13 shooting), six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes. Boston was plus-13 when he was on the court in the 18-point victory.

“Kristaps had a monster game for us,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just his presence shooting the ball and then him being able to attack those switches and mismatches, he made ’em pay every time, and that’s what we need going forward in the series.”

According to Bontemps, Porzingis praised Boston’s crowd for getting his adrenaline flowing in just the second game of his career as a reserve.

“Tonight was an affirmation to myself that I’m pretty good (physically), you know?” Porzingis said. “Maybe I’m not perfect, but I’m pretty good and I can play like this and I can definitely add to this team.”

Here’s more on the Celtics, who now hold a 1-0 lead on the Mavericks:

Porzingis’ coach and other teammates raved about his performance as well, per Jay King of The Athletic. “He’s a matchup nightmare,” Derrick White said. “Even when you play good defense, he doesn’t see you. It’s been unreal just watching him all year. Then defensively, he uses his size well, just impacts the games in so many different ways. He changes us and he makes us a better team.”
Brown provided a steadying influence for the Celtics when the Mavs went on a third-quarter run, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. At one point, Boston’s lead was cut from 29 points to eight. “We just said, just breathe. The game is starting now. Just breathe,” Brown said. “This is a moment where our experience shines through. Just breathe, just keep playing basketball.” The three-time All-Star made a major impact on both ends of the court, finishing with 22 points (on 7-of-12 shooting), six rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 37 minutes.
Steve Buckley of The Athletic lays out why he believes head coach Joe Mazzulla deserves credit for how the Celtics responded following a timeout when the third-quarter lead was down to eight points. Boston immediately went on a 14-0 run after the break in action. Mazzulla was often criticized last season for the ways in which he used his timeouts, Buckley notes.
Former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving, who is now a Maverick, said he thought Boston’s crowd “would be a little louder” following the Game 1 loss, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Irving knows the jeers will continue anytime he’s in Boston, but he’s focused on what he can control on the court. “But again, the energy has to be focused towards the game,” Irving said. “I felt like I had a lot of great looks. They hit (the) back rim or were just a little left or right. Just got to stay confident and stay poised throughout this, man. This is the best time of the year to be playing. There’s only two teams left. Let’s put it in perspective. The environment is going to be what it is but my focus is on our game plan and making sure my guys feel confident and I feel confident and continue to shoot great shots.” Irving finished with just 12 points on 6-of-19 shooting in 37 minutes.
ESPN insiders Tim Bontemps, Marc Spears and Kevin Pelton provide their takeaways from Game 1.

And-Ones: TNT Sports, Trades, Santa Cruz, Award Votes

May 23rd, 2024 at 9:06pm CST by Luke Adams

With TNT Sports seemingly on the verge of losing its NBA broadcast rights to NBC during the current round of media rights negotiations, it’s possible the 2024/25 season will be the last one that features TNT’s iconic Inside the NBA studio show, featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal. Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show (Twitter video link), Barkley admitted it has been discouraging to watch the process play out.

“Morale sucks, plain and simple,” Barkley said (hat tip to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic). “I just feel so bad for the people I work with. These people have families and I just really feel bad for them right now. You know these people I work with (management), they screwed this thing up, clearly. We have zero idea what’s going to happen. I don’t feel good. I’m not going to lie. Especially when they came out and said we bought college football. I was like, well, damn, they could have used that money to buy the NBA.

“… We’ve never had college football, never been involved with college football. I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, shouldn’t we be spending every dime we got to keep the NBA?’ So morale sucks, to be honest with you.”

Asked how TNT Sports got to this point, Barkley suggested that the comments made in 2022 by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav – who said his company “didn’t have to have the NBA” – didn’t help matters.

“They came out and said we didn’t need the NBA. I think that probably pissed (NBA commissioner) Adam (Silver) off,” Barkley said. “I don’t know that, but when (Warner Bros. and Discovery) merged, that’s the first thing our boss said. ‘We don’t need the NBA.’ Well, he don’t need it, but the rest of the people — me, Kenny, Shaq and Ernie and the people who work there, we need it. So, it just sucks right now.”

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

They were overshadowed by bigger deals at their respective trade deadlines, but the Celtics‘ 2022 acquisition of Derrick White and the Knicks‘ 2023 addition of Josh Hart are examples of non-blockbuster trades that helped turn good teams into contenders, writes Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link). Lowe provides some interesting tidbits on those deals, citing sources who say the Jazz were also interested in White when Boston was pursuing him and that the Trail Blazers didn’t open Hart talks to the rest of the league because New York was his preferred destination.
The Santa Cruz Warriors – Golden State’s affiliate – have been named the G League Franchise of the Year for the third time in the past four years (Twitter link). The team went 31-19 during the NBAGL’s Showcase Cup and regular season and ranked first in the league in both ticket sales and partnership revenue, according to the press release.
The NBA has officially released the full ballots from all the media members who voted on the major awards for 2023/24, including the All-NBA, All-Defensive, and All-Rookie teams. You can view those ballots – and find out which voters made this year’s most surprising selections – right here.
The Ringer’s staff ranked the NBA’s top 25 players who are 25 years old or under, with Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topping the list.