Timberwolves have robust curiosity in Derrick White
Boston Celtics
Minnesota reportedly desires White, who’s coming off the worst taking pictures droop of his profession, however stays an elite defender.
Jaylen Brown has steadily been introduced up in Celtics commerce rumors lately, however there’s one other Boston guard whom opposing groups have reportedly been eyeing.
“League sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose pursuit of Antetokounmpo additionally seems to have cooled — have robust curiosity within the Celtics’ Derrick White,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote within the notes part of his report concerning the newest on the Antetokounmpo commerce talks.
White will flip 32 subsequent month, however his protection has remained at an elite stage. He earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive first crew this previous season, marking the primary time in his profession that he has earned such recognition. He had beforehand been named to the second crew twice.
He is among the league’s greatest shot-blockers on the level guard place. The 6-foot-4-inch White tied seven-foot middle Neemias Queta for the crew lead in blocks at 1.3 per sport. White upped that common to 1.4 per sport throughout the Celtics’ playoff collection in opposition to Philadelphia.
However, it’s not simply the shot-blocking capability that units White aside. He’s an all-around gritty defender who is thought for making each doable effort to get stops on the defensive finish. He averaged 1.1 steals per sport.
White’s defensive skills, alongside along with his playmaking abilities, helped earn him a spot on the U.S. Olympic crew in 2024. He has additionally been in a position to keep on the ground persistently – taking part in in a minimum of 73 video games in every of the previous 5 seasons.
Nonetheless, throughout this previous season, White endured a prolonged taking pictures droop that was fairly in contrast to him. This was the primary season of his nine-year profession that White shot lower than 40 p.c from the sphere. His 3-point proportion plummeted from 38.4 in 2025 to 32.7 in 2026.
With Jayson Tatum out for many of the yr and the Celtics shedding a number of succesful scorers together with Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, White needed to tackle an even bigger function for the Celtics this yr. He hit career-highs in minutes per sport (34) and field-goals per sport (14.4).
White spent many of the yr because the Celtics’ No. 3 scoring choice. Brown and Payton Pritchard each averaged extra factors and field-goal makes an attempt per sport within the common season. Tatum was second on the crew in field-goal makes an attempt throughout his 16-game regular-season marketing campaign after recovering from offseason Achilles’ surgical procedure.
Minnesota misplaced to eventual runner-up San Antonio within the Western Convention semifinals. They’d misplaced within the Western Convention Finals the earlier two seasons.
The T-Wolves have a bona fide star in Anthony Edwards who’s unlikely to be accessible for commerce. The Celtics may use extra front-court items, however would bringing in Rudy Gobert (who tuns 34 subsequent week) transfer the needle? Jaden McDaniels is a 6-foot-9 athletic ahead who shot 41.2 p.c from 3-point vary final season, but it surely’s unclear if White can be sufficient to pry him away.
Naz Reid, Ayo Dosunmu, and Julius Randle helped Minnesota keep aggressive, however White’s expertise and match make it troublesome to ascertain the Celtics accepting a commerce package deal round them.
The Celtics have White underneath contract for the following two seasons earlier than a participant choice kicks in for 2029. White can be 35 by the top of his present cope with Boston.
Get the most recent Boston sports activities information
Obtain updates in your favourite Boston groups, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
