The Boston Celtics are heading into a season of major change, and veteran guard Derrick White is right in the middle of it all. With Jayson Tatum expected to miss most of the year recovering from an Achilles injury, and key players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis now on other teams, the Celtics’ identity has shifted. Fans and analysts do not expect them to remain competitive in East, at least unless Jayson Tatum makes a miraculous recovery next campaign.

Ahead of training camp, Derrick White has been vocal about his personal goals and the team’s new direction. He recently emphasized the need for continuous improvement, even after a career-best season, specifically mentioning he wants to expand his ball-handling skills. His commitment to the Celtics is clear, but the business of the NBA waits for no one. Just as he prepares for a bigger responsibility in Boston, his name has surfaced in trade talks linked to a familiar coach and a team looking to contend now.

In a recent episode of his “White Noise” podcast, Derrick White opened up about what he anticipates from Celtics training camp- which starts on September 29th. He highlighted the unpredictable nature of coach Joe Mazzulla, which sets the tone for a period of experimentation. “Well, I mean, every training camp is different. You never really know what your coach is gonna brew up and knowing Joe, playing for Joe, you really don’t know,” White said.

He expressed an open-minded approach, welcoming the changes necessary for growth, noting “Things are going to be different obviously, but they kind of have the open mind of ‘let’s do something new, let’s try something different, let’s learn how we can grow, how we can get better from last season.’ And so I’m, I’m really looking forward to seeing like what we do and I mean us working on that”. 

The Celtics will quickly need to adjust to the new system. White pointed out that losing three out of five starters, plus Tatum, means things “have to be” different. Analysts predict White will be a cornerstone of the new-look starting five, likely alongside Jaylen Brown and new acquisition Anfernee Simons.

Stat lines from last season back the case for his expanded role. He averaged a career best 16.4 points and 4.8 assists while Boston posted a plus rating in minutes when he played without Tatum, and insiders say his minutes and usage will rise in a lineup that values his defense and ball handling. However, now, this is not a case of isolated player improvement. Instead, Boston needs White to emerge as a bonafide leader and creator if they plan to compete without Tatum. That is, if he ends up surviving the latest trade rumors.

Derrick White linked to Rockets trade

Despite his clear importance to the Celtics, Derrick White has found himself at the center of persistent trade rumors, primarily to  the Houston Rockets. The connection is logical, as Rockets coach Ime Udoka was instrumental in bringing White to Boston in 2022 and has a longstanding relationship with him from their time in San Antonio. The rumors intensified after Rockets guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending ACL injury, creating a sudden need for a proven starting point guard.

Analysts have floated potential trade packages that would see Boston receive a haul of young players and draft picks. One proposed deal from The Boston Globe suggested a package centered around promising talents like Jabari Smith Jr. or Reed Sheppard, along with multiple future first-round picks. The Rockets, after acquiring Kevin Durant, are in a win-now mode and see a player of White’s caliber as the perfect veteran to stabilize their backcourt and elevate their championship aspirations.

The Celtics on the other hand had long been suspected of considering trade packages for even the likes of White and Jaylen Brown. However, the Rockets’ situation may as well just force their hands, even if the consensus among league insiders is that they will hold out for a package they deem fit for a player who played a major role in their championship win, as well as the other recent success.

The Athletic’s Jake Fischer recently claimed that Boston’s asking price is similar to the massive return the Brooklyn Nets received for Mikal Bridges. Bridges was traded to the New York Knicks along with Keita Bates-Diop in exchange for Bojan Bogdanović, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, five future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and a second-round pick.

However, the Rockets seem unlikely to table that kind of an offer, and as things stand, the player is expected to stay in Boston.