NBA: Minnesota sets its sights on Boston guard Derrick White

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Minnesota Timberwolves just kicked off their NBA offseason plans by showing interest in signing Boston Celtics’ two-way guard Derrick White.

According to The Athletic’s NBA insider Sam Amick, the Western Conference squad is exploring options on how to land the NBA champion to address its backcourt rotation.

“As the Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit appears to have cooled, sources just said Minnesota has strong interest in the Celtics’ Derrick White,” Amick wrote.

In the 2025-26 NBA season, the Timberwolves kicked off their playoff campaign on a high note after eliminating Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, but their banged-up roster was exposed when they lost to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Donte DiVincenzo, the team’s starting two-guard and primary shooter, sat out the second-round series due to a torn right Achilles tendon, while Anthony Edwards was still hobbled by a left knee hyperextension.

Amick added that the Timberwolves are looking for more stabilizers to reinforce Edwards, especially after 38-year-old veteran guard Mike Conley saw his production take a major dip.

After averaging 8.2 points and 4.5 assists during the 2024-25 season, Conley averaged only 4.5 points and 2.9 assists last year and was almost a no-show during the postseason against the Spurs.

Stepping up during Minnesota’s shocking upset over the Nuggets was backup guard Ayo Dosunmu, who joined forces with Julius Randle to help the Timberwolves get out of the first round.

White, a proven winner who played an instrumental role during Boston’s 2023-24 NBA title run, is currently averaging 14.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds.

However, the former member of Team USA Basketball received backlash when he underperformed during the Celtics’ first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Before finishing with 26 points in the Game 7 loss, White averaged only 8.6 points in the first six games and shot a dismal 10-of-39 from 3-point range during the playoffs.

Despite the offensive struggles, White still anchored Boston’s perimeter defense and was named to last season’s NBA All-Defensive Team alongside Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, and Rudy Gobert.

Can Minnesota lure White out of Boston and fortify its backcourt rotation for the next NBA season?