“We wouldn’t f—k you, we sent you to Boston” – Derrick White shares how Pop told him the Spurs were trading him to the Celtics originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Getting traded is a significant part of the NBA life. Like death and taxes, it’s inevitable and inescapable. However, just because it’s a common occurrence doesn’t mean it’s easy for players to handle. For Derrick White, getting traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Boston Celtics in February 2022 was an emotional moment he will never forget.
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In the first episode of his podcast, White shared the moment when the Spurs’ head coach at that time, Gregg Popovich, told him about the trade. While some coaches may not even have the gall to break this type of news to their players, Pop showed his class and integrity by telling D-White personally.
Gregg made sure Derrick went to an ideal situation
The NBA is, plain and simple, a business. Franchises are run with the bottom line in mind, and players are often viewed as assets rather than people. However, Popovich’s actions showed that he values his players as individuals, not just commodities.
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White recalled that they were in Atlanta at that time, getting ready to take on the Hawks. It was the NBA trade deadline, so things were on edge. When his phone rang, he immediately knew something had transpired. It was Pop asking him what his hotel room number was.
“Pop walks into the room, and he’s like, ‘We traded you,'” Derrick recalled. “And I’m like, ‘Shut up, Pop!'”
“I’m like, ‘To where?’ And he was like, ‘We wouldn’t f—k you. We sent you to Boston,'” he continued. “Boston had Ime, Will. I just played that summer with JT, JB, and Smart. So I knew a bunch of people there. He’s like, ‘You’re going to be comfortable. They’ll bring you along.'”
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At the time, Derrick had found his stride with the Spurs. Although they were in the middle of a rebuild, White was playing well, averaging 14.4 points and 5.6 assists per game as a full-time starter.
Getting traded is never easy
Ask any journeyman in the NBA; no matter how many times they’ve been traded, it never gets easier. For Derrick, this was his first time being traded, and he was caught completely off guard.
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“I was hurt, definitely, when they traded me,” he shared. “I’m like, ‘Why don’t they want me?’ Like, that’s kind of what it’s like. ‘Why don’t they believe in me? Why don’t they see their future with me there?’ I was cool with the rebuild, but…”
Getting traded at the deadline became more complicated since White’s wife was seven months pregnant at that time. While getting traded in the postseason would have given him the time to fully adjust and prepare for the next chapter of his career, getting shipped during the regular season meant having to acclimate to new surroundings quickly.
“Getting traded is never easy. I think it probably is easier if it happens in the offseason; you kind of get time to relax and figure it out. But getting traded in the season is one of the craziest things that I’ve had to deal with in my NBA career,” Derrick stated. “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, ‘Alright, you’re on the Celtics.'”
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As tough as getting traded was for Derrick, he soon realized how good he had it in Beantown. He became the team’s most lethal “3-and-D” guy, shooting 38 percent from long distance and earning consecutive All-Defensive Team honors. D-White also won an NBA title in 2024.
In hindsight, Pop absolutely knew what he was doing by sending Derrick to Boston; it wasn’t just an outright business deal. The Spurs legend saw White’s potential and knew he would thrive with a team that valued defense and selflessness. And the former Spur did just that, becoming a crucial piece to the C’s championship puzzle.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.