The Boston Celtics are making a run through the Eastern Conference, having been one of the hottest teams in basketball heading into the All-Star break. The Celtics have won nine of their last 10 games, and are now in sixth place in the East after a tumultuous start to the season under new head coach Ime Udoka. With the trade deadline behind us, the Celtics' roster will pretty much look like this from here on out, barring some potential additions via the buyout market.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been the forces carrying the Celtics all season long. While only one made the All-Star Game, there are certainly arguments to be made that both were worthy of selection. With those two commanding most of the defense's attention, there's an opportunity for a true third-option to emerge offensively. With that in mind, here is the one Boston Celtics player with the most to prove after the 2022 All-Star break.
1 Celtics player with most to prove after All-Star break
The Celtics gave up quite a lot to bring Derrick White to Boston. Brad Stevens is a huge fan of the former San Antonio Spurs point guard, and may envision him as the future third-option on the team. Considering Boston parted ways with Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 top-4 protected first-round pick, and a potential 2028 first-round pick swap, the pressure will be on White to find success with the Celtics, and quickly.
Across four games with the Celtics, White is averaging 30.3 minutes per night, to go with 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He's struggled shooting the ball, however, hitting just 23.1% of his 3's during the small sample. He's naturally a better shooter than that, so those worrying numbers should revert to the mean as he gets more comfortable with Boston's rotations.
Acquiring White at the deadline proved that the Celtics were all-in on the 2021-22 season. With the way they've been playing of late, they've gained steam as a potential dark horse for the NBA Finals, and Stevens feels that White was the piece they needed to make that dream a potential reality. White is a good defender and a solid facilitator, both traits which will benefit the Celtics.
If White can get into a solid rhythm with his new team, the trade will be considered a success for the Celtics, especially if they make a deep playoff run. White certainly has the capabilities of being what this Celtics team needed, and he joins them during their hottest stretch of the year. Playing alongside a solid passing big-man like Al Horford should help White get solid open looks at jump shots, and he's more than capable of pinpointing a pass in the direction of Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum to set them up with a bucket. Marcus Smart is having a good year, but White is simply the superior playmaker. When you play alongside stars like Brown and Tatum, that's the type of mold you want from your point guard, which is why Stevens was willing to pay top dollar to get White on the roster.
If the 27-year-old is able to gel with Tatum and Brown and help them get better open looks on the floor, then he'll be doing his job perfectly. However, considering the price the Celtics paid for him, Derrick White will have to live up to expectations.
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