Before the games tip-offed on Thursday, Derrick White was 10th in All-Star Game fan voting with 120,706. It’s a modest showing for one of the league’s best glue guys.
And then there’s Jimmy Butler and Anthony Edwards, an aging superstar who has asked his team for a trade and the stuck-in-neutral phenom struggling to find his way. Butler doubled up White in votes (257,901) and Edwards had over three times as many (411,749).
But on a night when White far outshined his counterparts with 26 points, two blocks, and a dagger 3 (5-of-10 from behind the arc) to close out Edwards and the Timberwolves, his performance is just another reminder that regardless of national recognition and star power, a player’s fit and role on a team in this league mean everything.
“Just remind him of his greatness,” Joe Mazzulla said regarding his advice to the slumping two-way guard. “He has the ability to impact the game in different ways. I just thought he was great tonight — obviously, the shotmaking — but honestly, his getting us into our offense, making sure the start of the second and the fourth go the way it should go, and defensively, his ability to guard different guys.”
Celtics fans already know this about DWhite. The team recognizes his greatness, too. It’s a big reason why the front office locked him up to a four-year, $125.9 million contract extension before he could even hit free agency next summer.
However, it’s made just clearer on this second day of the new year just how lucky Boston is to have him.
In Miami, it seems as though all the culture and coffee in the world couldn’t keep Jimmy Butler happy. After a demoralizing 128-115 loss at home, Jimmy set his future with the Heat on fire, saying, “I want to see me back my joy back from playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out pretty soon here. I’m happy here … off the court.”
It was later reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst that Butler has met with Pat Riley and ownership in attempt to mend fences, but those talks went nowhere. And now, without a list of preferred destinations, he’ll welcome a trade anywhere.
Edwards’ case is a little more curious. After a Western Conference Finals run last year, the team dealt Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks (where he’s thriving), clearly signaling that this was Ant’s team. The Timberwolves have responded with a 17-16 record. More so, it sounds like Minnesota’s superstar is dealing with his own growing pains.
“I’m only 23. I don’t want be passing the ball all night. You feel me?…I’m wired to score the ball,” Edwards said after the Celtics held him to 5-of-16 shooting. He later talked about being frustrated with the constant double teaming. “It’s not fun. I don’t want it to look like I’m not trying or as good as I am.”
Jayson Tatum on Derrick White, who finished with 26 points:
“Derrick is so important to our team. I think the rest of the league, and the rest of the world understands his value, how talented he is, and how much he contributes to us… We’re very fortunate.”
@NBCSCeltics pic.twitter.com/oQsF6qRZwN
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) January 3, 2025
And again, there’s Derrick White who sits behind the Wizards’ Jordan Poole in the minds of the fans. The coaches (and players) might have a different perspective.
“He’s just big time because of his ability to impact the game, whether he’s heavily heavily involved in the offense or not,” Mazzulla reiterated. “Derrick is just that kind of guy that can give the game what it needs at any time.”
