Derrick White's increased three-point shooting just earned him a big payday

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White has been having a very good season, increasing his output on the court and also becoming a more important part of the team's lineup.

He is also getting paid more, partly because of how well he has been sinking his buckets from beyond the three-point line.

White had a clause in his contract that said he would earn an additional $500,000 if he made 185 or more three-point shots this season. On Monday night, he went 4-of-10 from the three-point line in a game against the Charlotte Hornets, earning him his 188th three and $500,000 on top of that. 

For the season, White is sinking 40.1% of his three-point attempts, which is up from 38.1% last season.

White has been increasing his three-point output during his several years playing for the Celtics. His inability to score from that part of the court was a great concern when he was first acquired by Boston back in 2021-22. But he has gradually and steadily improved his numbers and is now a much better three-point shooter.

That is not only helping the team, it is also helping his pocketbook.

For the season, White is averaging 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. All of those numbers are higher than what he did in 2022-23.

When the team traded away Marcus Smart last summer, it was clear that White was going to have a bigger role on the team. He has started in all 69 of his games this season and is getting an average of 32.7 minutes per game. Last season he started in 70 of 82 games and played for 28.3 minutes.

It is clear that White has become a vital part of the team just as they are poised to enter the postseason as the most fearsome team in the entire league.