Derrick White Found Out About the Jaylen Brown Trade the Same Way Most Fans Did

Derrick White was just sitting at home when one of the biggest trades in Celtics history happened. His wife told him the news.

That’s how the Boston guard learned that Jaylen Brown was headed to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that brought Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks to Boston. No warning from the front office. No frantic phone call from his agent. Just a regular moment that suddenly wasn’t regular anymore.

“Where was I? I was at my house. I think someone just, my wife told me,” White said, according to a tweet from reporter Jack Simone.

Brown had been in Boston for a decade. He won a championship there in 2024 and took home Finals MVP. So the trade hit White differently than other roster moves might have. These two had history.

“Obviously, it’s tough to see someone get traded, and JB’s been an amazing teammate, amazing friend to me, and he kind of welcomed me when I got traded to Boston,” White said. “So I’m always thankful for my time that I spent with JB, and it’s obviously always tough to get traded, and I know how that feels.”

White isn’t just saying that. He posted a genuine farewell message to Brown on social media after the deal went through. That kind of thing matters when you’ve been through a trade yourself. White knows what it’s like to pack up and leave. He was traded to the Celtics in 2022.

But the return Boston got is real too. White saw Paul George up close during the playoffs, and the memory is still fresh.

“But also getting PG’s really good. He was playing, he killed us the whole series,” White said. “It felt like so, it’s kind of like a mix of emotions, I guess. But sad to see him go.”

So White is stuck somewhere between gratitude and loss. He’s thankful for the years with Brown and excited about what George brings. But watching a close friend get traded doesn’t get easier the second time around.

The Celtics are moving forward with a new look. White will be part of it. But he won’t forget the guy who helped him feel at home when he was the new one in the room.