Derrick White is an NBA champion and one of the most reliable two-way guards in the league. But turn back to 2022, and his journey to Boston started with confusion, and personal chaos. In the first episode of his White Noise podcast, White opened up about what was one of the most emotionally turbulent moments of his life: getting traded midseason by the San Antonio Spurs. At the time, his wife was seven months pregnant and the two were preparing for the arrival of their first child. That personal context made the news not just shocking, but overwhelming.

White had spent his entire NBA career up to that point with the San Antonio Spurs, the organization that drafted him, developed him, and believed in him. So when he was told he was being traded, it hit him deeply, both personally and professionally. On his podcast, White described the sense of loyalty he had toward the Spurs and the pain of feeling like they no longer wanted him.

“But getting traded in the season is one of the craziest things that I’ve had to deal with in my NBA career,” he said. “You’re on a team, you’re committed to them, you’re trying to do everything you can do to help them win games, and then one day they’re like, ‘All right, you’re on the Celtics.’ So, I was hurt, definitely, when they traded me.”

His response wasn’t just about basketball; it reflected a deeper feeling of rejection. He went on to describe the moment Jakob Poeltl came to his hotel room after the news broke. White was still trying to process it all, and the question kept repeating in his mind, “I’m like, ‘Why don’t they want me?’ Yeah, that’s kind of what it’s like. Like, ‘Why don’t they believe in me? Why don’t they see their future with me there?”

For White, it wasn’t just a trade; it was a moment of doubt, of personal disorientation, and sudden change in both his career and his life at home. He added, “Like, I was cool with the rebuild. But obviously, getting traded is crazy. My wife was seven months pregnant. That makes things crazier.”

This is the side of trades that fans and media rarely consider: the emotional toll and personal disruption that comes with being uprooted midseason, especially during major life moments. The timing of his trade couldn’t have been more difficult for Derrick. With his wife in her third trimester of pregnancy and his life anchored in San Antonio, suddenly relocating to a new city added a layer of chaos to an already intense situation.

And the adjustment to Boston wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t just about learning a new system or getting familiar with new teammates. It was the daily grind of figuring out how to live in an unfamiliar city. The simplest things, like getting around, became a source of stress.

“I think getting traded to Boston makes it even crazier ’cause the roads make zero sense. You don’t know where you’re going. Everything’s so confusing,” White shared on his White Noise podcast. Coming from San Antonio, where everything was straightforward and accessible, the dense, winding streets of Boston felt disorienting.

“San Antonio, everything’s 20 minutes away. Boston, you could go two miles in 20 minutes. Like, it doesn’t make any sense.”

That confusion extended beyond traffic and GPS. White was adjusting to a new organization, a new role, and a new locker room, all while trying to keep up with his life off the court. As he put it, “So, I don’t really know where I am. I’m new to the team, so I’m trying to fit in.” It was a whirlwind, both mentally and emotionally, and a stark reminder that trades don’t just change teams, they shake up lives.

Gregg Popovich confession added a surreal twist

Derrick White didn’t find out about his trade through social media or a generic team staffer. It came straight from Gregg Popovich, delivered in his trademark dry, unfiltered style. White was in Atlanta with the Spurs when Pop knocked on his hotel room door to give him the news face-to-face. There was no build-up, no small talk, just Pop being Pop. “So, we’re in Atlanta. Pop walks into the room and he’s like, ‘We traded you.’ And I’m like, ‘Shut up, Pop.’”

And while the delivery was blunt, the intention behind it wasn’t cold. Popovich made it clear this wasn’t a careless move; it was, in his words, the best possible outcome for White. “We wouldn’t f** you. We sent you to Boston.” Pop pointed out that White already had familiarity with the Celtics’ core, having played with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart the previous summer. And that the Celtics staff, including Ime Udoka and Will Hardy, would make the transition smoother.

It wasn’t just a trade; it was, in Popovich’s view, a chance to thrive.

White admitted the logic made sense, but it didn’t erase the emotional weight of the moment. Even knowing the basketball fit might be right, he still had to confront the personal shock of leaving the team that drafted and developed him. And adjusting to Boston’s system midseason came with its own set of challenges. “I think everybody that gets traded kind of has that little growing pain of ‘Where do I belong on the court? What’s my role?” 

It was a transition not just of teams, but of identity as a player. He had to rediscover his role, build new chemistry, and trust the process, while also dealing with a life-changing moment off the court back home. White was traded for Romeo Langford, Josh Richardson, and multiple picks. At the time, some thought that Boston had overpaid. In hindsight, it was a championship move.

From being in his hotel room after hearing the news, to scoring 15 points off the bench in his Celtics debut less than 48 hours later. White’s Celtics story began in chaos, but it ended in glory. He’s now an NBA champion, a key piece of Boston’s future, and the recipient of a $126 million contract extension. 

Derrick White didn’t just survive the move to Boston. He made it one of the most important chapters of his career.