Analysts see bounce-back season for Celtics guard Derrick White
The short version
- Celtics Wire analysts project a bounce-back 2026-27 season for Derrick White
- Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia and added Paul George and Mitchell Robinson
- White was All-Defensive First Team in 2025-26 but struggled offensively and in the playoffs
- Both writers expect improved shooting, though not necessarily career-best numbers
Celtics Wire writers project White's ceiling, floor and expectations for 2026-27 after Brown trade reshaped Boston's roster.
Celtics Wire writers Daniel Donabedian and Justin Quinn offered player projections for Boston Celtics guard Derrick White ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, and both expect him to rebound from a down 2025-26 campaign.
The outlook comes after a significant offseason reshaping of the roster. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, with the team now built around Jayson Tatum. Paul George and Mitchell Robinson were added, changes the analysts say could lighten White's load on both ends of the floor.
Quinn outlined two views of White's decline: either age is eroding his offense, or he struggled in an unfamiliar role. In the best case, Quinn sees White's efficiency and scoring returning to roughly their 2023-24 levels. Donabedian's ceiling has White among the NBA's best role players if his 3-point shot lands between 35 and 40 percent, building on an All-Defensive First Team season as the league's top shot-blocking guard.
The floor scenario is a repeat of 2025-26, with below-average 3-point shooting, fading shot attempts and possible defensive slippage on a contract paying over $30 million a year. Donabedian also pointed to a disappointing first-round playoff showing as a potential low mark.
Both writers predict improvement in 2026-27, with Quinn forecasting better counting stats and shooting percentages, and Donabeden expecting White to again be a strong complementary player alongside Tatum even if he does not set new career highs.