Celtics reportedly ‘laughed’ at Derrick White trade offer
"We need way more than No. 9 for Derrick White.”
Brad Stevens and the Celtics were busy this week when it came to clearing out salary and escaping the second apron of the NBA’s luxury-tax structure.
Within the span of just 24 hours, the Celtics traded away two key cogs from the 2024 championship roster in Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis — with their departures clearing up over $180 million in luxury-tax penalties.
But the Celtics were reportedly leaving no stone unturned when it came to overhauling their roster, especially when it came to dangling both Jaylen Brown and Derrick White out on the trade market.
White would be an appealing pickup for several teams given his defensive acumen, 3-point shooting, and the security afforded by a four-year, $118 million contract that would be easier to absorb than, say, the four years and $235 million remaining on Brown’s contract.
But as appealing as White would be as a trade chip, the Celtics were also not inclined to move the guard for anything below an overpay.
Ahead of Wednesday’s first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that the Toronto Raptors offered up the No. 9 pick in the draft for White.
On his own podcast Thursday afternoon, The Ringer’s Zach Lowe said that the Celtics were not enticed by that offer.
“There were reports that the Raptors offered the No. 9 pick for Derrick White,” Lowe said. “I’m told that’s true but that it happened a month and a half ago after Jayson Tatum got hurt and Boston laughed at that offer and said we need way more than No. 9 for Derrick White.”
Even though moving White could give Boston even more salary relief moving forward, the Celtics are seemingly only moving their starting guard if they get a deal that’s too good to refuse.
“We’ll do our best to put the right group together, and, at the same time, regain some flexibility and maximize some asset return,” Brad Stevens said Wednesday night of Boston’s offseason approach. “But I do think we’ve got a good group. We’ve got the foundation with Jaylen and Jayson and D-White and Payton and all those guys that a lot of teams love to have.”
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