Derrick White replaces Kawhi Leonard for Team USA: Why Celtics guard is ideal roster addition for 2024 Olympics

A third player will trade in Celtic green for red, white and blue at the 2024 Paris Olympics.Celtics guard Derrick White has joined Team USA as a replacement for Kawhi Leonard, USA Basketball announced. White, 30, will join the national team less than a month after winning an NBA title and signing a lucrative contract extension with Boston.This is not the first time that White will represent America on the international stage, but this time, he has an opportunity to play an even greater role in Team USA’s efforts.Here is what makes White an ideal candidate to join this roster.White is an ideal replacement as he is one of the most malleable players in the NBA.A 6-4 combo guard, White can guard multiple positions on the wing at a high level, resulting in All-Defensive Team selections in the past two seasons. Offensively, he averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 assists while shooting 40.4 percent from deep during the Celtics’ title run in 2024.As shown with Boston, White is the perfect type of connective player to play around the caliber of superstar talent present on the Team USA roster. He’ll be a menace defensively and will benefit from the playmaking abilities of Team USA’s stars on offense, most notably LeBron James and Jayson Tatum.Opposing defenses will have tough decisions to make on the perimeter as half of Team USA’s 12-man roster shot at least 38.0 percent from 3-point range during the 2023-24 NBA season.