Derrick White will enter the upcoming NBA season with a lot to prove. The Boston Celtics guard had a difficult 25-26 season after stepping into a larger role due to the absence of Jayson Tatum.
While White thrived on the defensive end, he struggled to reach his usual highs on offense. Shots were coming in new ways, and the added playmaking load appeared to take its toll. Now, with Tatum back in the rotation, White can slide back into a more familiar role, meaning we should begin to see the best of him once again.
If White can bounce back with a strong offensive season, the Celtics will be a much tougher team to guard.
Interestingly, White’s offensive struggles last season didn’t do much to hurt his reputation. In fact, he was recently ranked as the 15th-best point guard in the league by HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina.
“We expect a progression to the mean for White next season, as well as for him to remain among the league’s top backcourt defenders,” Urbina wrote. “Plus, even with what seemed to be offensive struggles, White was still so impactful on both ends that he ranked Top 25 league-wide in both BPM and VORP last season, and made the Celtics nearly 10 points per 100 possessions better during his time on the floor in the regular season.”
White remains a key member of the Celtics roster. Despite his down season, it’s clear that he’ll once again have a sizeable role to play under Joe Mazzulla.
Derrick White Needs More Shots off the Catch
One of the biggest changes in White’s offensive game last season was how many shots he had to take off the bounce. In recent seasons, White has been a high-level scoring threat on catch-and-shoot opportunities, with his off-the-dribble scoring usually coming when getting downhill.
However, with Tatum out of the rotation, White was creating more in the pick-and-roll, leading to more dribble jumpers.
During the 2024-25 season, White averaged 4.1 off-the-dribble jumpers, shooting 38.5%. In that same season, he averaged 6.1 shots off the catch, converting at a 41% clip.
Last season, White’s off-the-dribble numbers spiked by three attempts per game on average. Defenses were more locked in against him, too, leading to a slight dip in his conversion rate, which sat at 36.5%.
However, the biggest problem was the reduction in White’s off-the-catch attempts. Last season, White took almost two fewer shots off the catch per game, meaning his most effective weapon on the perimeter had been muted. With the lack of rhythm and the lack of shot creation from others, his off-the-catch numbers dropped to 33.3%.
With Tatum back, White will have more room to operate, less defensive attention, and a steady stream of shooting opportunities off the catch. Therefore, his overall shooting splits should naturally start to trend upward.
Celtics Still Need Derrick White’s Defense
Whatever happens with White’s offense, his defense will still be key to any chance the Celtics have of success. The fact is that White is one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. He’s disruptive, can navigate screens and is capable of guarding multiple positions in both the open and half-court.
If White can see his shooting numbers return to previous levels, while maintaining the defensive intensity we saw last season, he could emerge as a borderline All-Star heading into the new year.
Without Jaylen Brown’s scoring and on-ball defense, Boston will need multiple players to step up. White will be among the first names on that list. And who knows? Maybe next summer, White is being discussed as a possible top-10 point guard in the league.
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