Derrick White shared the story of being traded from the Spurs to the Celtics as he launched his new “White Noise” podcast, relays Hayden Bird of The Boston Globe. White has become a fan favorite in Boston and played an important role in the 2024 championship, but he was wasn’t eager to leave San Antonio when the deal was reached at the 2022 deadline.
“Getting traded is never easy. I think it’s probably easier in the offseason, you kind of get time to relax and figure [things] out,” he said. “But getting traded in the season is one of the craziest things that I’ve had to deal with in my NBA career. You’re on a team, you’re committed to them, you’re trying to do everything you can to help them win games, and then one day they’re like, ‘All right, you’re on the Celtics.’ I was hurt, definitely, when [the Spurs] traded me.”
White reacted to the deal by “playing dominoes and drinking” in his hotel room with Spurs trainer and close friend Brandon Bowman. He recalls that several players and coaches joined them, giving White a sendoff party that nearly caused him to miss the flight that the Celtics set up for him. His feelings on Boston changed quickly as the home crowd gave him a standing ovation when he checked into his first game, making him feel like “this is where I’m supposed to be at.”
Also on the podcast, White reacted to the offseason losses of former teammates Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet.
There’s more from Boston:
- The Celtics are likely to keep a roster spot open throughout the season to hold down payroll, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. If they sign a veteran before the season begins, they have the option to waive Jordan Walsh, who only has a $200K guarantee on his $2.2MM salary until opening night, but Robb believes that’s less likely following his strong performance during Summer League.
- In an Instagram interview with The School of Hard Knockz, Jaylen Brown talked about relying on faith to handle the disappointments and high expectations that come with being a professional athlete (hat tip to Meadow Barrow of MassLive). “I’ve dealt with anxiety, even depression,” Brown said. “I’ve been to some very dark places, but I feel like those dark places have allowed my light to shine.”
- A group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca has reached an agreement to buy the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and move the franchise to Boston, sources tell Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The group will reportedly pay a record $325MM to the Mohegan Tribe for the team, along with $100MM to build a new practice facility in Boston. The league responded by issuing a statement saying that “relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” and that “no groups from Boston applied for a team” during the expansion process.