There’s still hope that either Jaylen Brown or Derrick White can be added to the 2024 Team USA roster to give the Boston Celtics three representatives, along with the already-announced Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday, for America’s Olympic basketball team this summer as CelticsBlog’s Mark Aboyoun relays.

“Team USA still has the option to add one more player to its list which can give guys like Derrick White and Jaylen Brown hope that they can be on the plane to Paris,” Aboyoun prefaced before saying, “Both Brown and White were included in Team USA’s initial pool of players that could be selected back in January.”

The Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers (LeBron James, Anthony Davis), and Phoenix Suns (Kevin Durant, Devin Booker) are the only teams to have two representatives on Team USA. Team needs-wise, America can probably use another big man over a guard or wing, but Brown’s versatility probably gives him an edge over White.

It’d be somewhat of a shock to see Team USA get a third Celtic with all of that in mind. If only Kristaps Porzingis was American, he would’ve been the perfect fit.

Who Team USA can choose over Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and Derrick White

Given how star-studded the Team USA roster is, depth isn’t all that much of a concern. That’s not to say the 12th man chosen will have no impact whatsoever, but with James, Curry, Durant, Embiid, Tatum, Booker, Davis, Edwards, and Tatum likely to do almost all of the heavy lifting offensively, there could be some leeway to who Steve Kerr’s final man on the bench will be.

An ideal option could be Chet Holmgren, who just had the most impactful rookie season of the last five years. At seven-foot-one while averaging over two blocks per game and shooting 37% from the 3-point line in over four attempts per game, Holmgren can provide spacing offensively and rim-protection defensively; being versatile enough to play the 4 or the 5.

Walker Kessler would be even more outside the box, but the traditional big man can be a lob threat/defensive specialist in the same vein as Tyson Chandler on the 2012 Olympic squad. Other frontcourt depth options include Myles Turner, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jarrett Allen.

Even if the Celtics don’t get another one of their own on Team USA, at least Holiday’s involvement keyed his return to Boston, more than likely.

Derrick White leaving Boston Celtics for old team more plausible after Jrue Holiday extension

Derrick White leaving the Boston Celtics for his old team, the San Antonio Spurs, has become more plausible after the Cs signed Jrue Holiday to a four-year, $135 million extension on April 10 according to Air Alamo’s Jahlil Williams.

“The possibility of Derrick White returning to the San Antonio Spurs has sparked intrigue among fans, with rumors circulating about a potential reunion with the team,” Williams prefaced before saying, “With the Boston Celtics facing salary cap constraints following their recent contract extensions, the opportunity for White to return to San Antonio has become more plausible.”

White is a free agent in 2025, and after Holiday’s extension, there could be a tax crunch that summer for the Celtics. Winning it all this June could convince Wyc Grousbeck to pay any tax bill that Brad Stevens creates through his transactions. Anything short makes doing so a risky proposition.

Derrick White leaving Boston Celtics would give Payton Pritchard make-or-break opportunity

White leaving the Cs next summer is far more on the table than ever with Holiday being extended, and in the event that happens, Payton Pritchard would have a make-or-break opportunity to step up and be the team’s leading floor general. That is, unless Boston got a starting quality point guard back in return.

Pritchard is the third-longest tenured Celtic, if you don’t count Al Horford’s first stint that had two interrupted seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and OKC Thunder in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and has evolved into a game-changing presence on the floor.

White has been the C’s primary ball-handler, with Holiday shifting to the 2 and sometimes even the 3-5 positions — so Pritchard would be sliding into No. 9’s role, not Holiday sliding down and bringing someone like Sam Hauser into the starting five.

The chance of a lifetime could be waiting Pritchard if Boston does something very unpopular but cost-saving in 2025.