Open Thread: Derrick White replaces on crucial key man
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
The torch is handed off from one ex-Spur to another.
Yesterday, Kawhi Leonard announced his withdrawal from Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Kawhi’s former teammate, Derrick White, will be taking Leonard’s place on the roster.
Celtics guard Derrick White will be replacing Kawhi Leonard with USA Basketball, a source told @andscape.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 10, 2024
Kawhi’s former teammate, Derrick White, will be taking Leonard’s place on the roster.
The two-time Defensive Player of the Year and current NBA champion had a brief overlap with Derrick White on the San Antonio Spurs. However, Leonard’s health issues prevented them from playing together extensively in the Silver & Black.
Leonard was traded to Toronto at the end of White’s rookie season, and White was traded to Boston just before the trade deadline in 2022. Recently, White and the Celtics secured the franchise’s record-setting eighteenth title.
Yesterday, it was announced that Leonard would be stepping down from Team USA. A statement from USA Basketball read:
“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas. He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”
White was likely chosen for his defensive skills, a known issue in previous Olympic games.
Leonard will be returning to the Clippers next season without Paul George, his partner over the last half-decade, who left Los Angeles in free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Meanwhile, White just secured a new 4-year, $125M contract to remain with the defending champion Celtics.