Derrick White Addresses Contract Extension Talks With Celtics

The Celtics have been busy with extensions this offseason, and they have about a week and a half to retain a key guard.

Derrick White broke out for Boston last season and earned a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team. His breakout likely convinced the Celtics they could move on from Marcus Smart to acquire Kristaps Porzingis, and it feels like he’s part of the corps with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics re-signed Brown to a supermax extension and can do the same with Tatum next offseason. When the Celtics traded for Porzingis, they signed him to a new contract, and Payton Pritchard signed an extension during the preseason.

White has two years left on a four-year, $70 million deal he signed with the San Antonio Spurs, and Boston has until Oct. 27 to work out a new deal. The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported last Sunday the Celtics are working on an extension with White, and the 29-year-old opened up about those talks Tuesday.

“I love it here,” White told reporters, per MassLive’s Souichi Terada. “It’s been great being here being a Celtic. That will never change whether I signed before the season or not. So, if it happens, great. If not, I’m still excited for the season to be here.”

White added he’s not directly involved in discussions, but it would be wise for Boston to re-sign a player whose ceiling has the potential to increase further this season.