The Boston Celtics have flourished since acquiring their new stars, Jrue Holiday and Kristap Porzingis. However, these two crucial trades came in for the Celts only after parting with their longtime guard, Marcus Smart. In an appearance on JJ Redick’s The Old Man and The Three podcast, Celtics shooting guard Derrick White talked about how he was initially shocked by the team trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this summer.
Advertisement
However, White’s pairing with Holiday and Porzingis seems to have unlocked his true potential, which is evident from the Celtics’ form in the league this season. Speaking of Jrue Holiday as a valuable addition to the roster, White discussed how Holiday relieved him of the responsibilities of stepping up in the absence of Marcus Smart. Speaking highly of his new teammates, Porzingis and Holiday, White remarked,
“Just having both of those guys just spacing the floor, and I feel like Jrue’s been the ultimate teammate.”
Since acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Celtics have further elevated their chances of winning a championship this season. Holiday was a crucial piece in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2020-21 championship campaign and carried forward the same form with the Celts.
.@Dwhite921 talks about how playing with @Jrue_Holiday11 and @kporzee has unlocked his game.
Watch the full episode with @jj_redick and @talter: https://t.co/iaDzuzDL0D pic.twitter.com/gluprXZJUX
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) January 5, 2024
Since starting the season earlier this October, Jrue Holiday has adapted well to the Celtics roster. He can make the right plays to Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, helping both players with adequate spacing to realize their potential.
The Jrue Holiday acquisition can be termed fruitful for the Celtics, given he is averaging a career-high 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Though Holiday’s 12.9 point average per game is his lowest output since his rookie season, this is likely since he no longer has to be one of the top three scoring options, with Tatum, Brown, and Porzingis leading the way on that front.
On the other hand, White is enjoying a career year in his box score, proving a handy scorer for the Celts with averages of 17 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 49.4% field goal shooting. Pairing White and Holiday together, we can probably say they have one of the best defensive pairs currently in the NBA.
Should Derrick White be considered for an All-Star nomination this season?
Derrick White is the only starter who has never been named to an All-Star team. However, with his performance this season, there is a strong case for him. This season, White has posted career-high averages of 17 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting efficiently with 49.4% FG percentage and 42.2% three-pointer range.
When White returned to the AT&T Center facing the Spurs, the traveling Celtics fans echoed the arena with chants of “White’s an All-Star,” thus proving the legitimacy that he has gained over the past few games this season. The emergence of White as a solid All-Star was also discussed by former NBA player JJ Redick, who highly hopes for the Celtics star’s selection for this season.
He stated, “Derrick White should be considered for All-Star…Role players do make it to All-Star games.”
White has also recorded 2+ blocks in seven straight games this season, becoming the only guard to do so since Michael Jordan. For selections this season, White may face competition from the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, and Damian Lillard for an All-Star nomination. Only time will tell if White is destined to be an All-Star, but no one can deny that he is certainly a player worth that caliber.
