I virtually fell off my stool on the espresso store this morning once I noticed an article suggesting that the Boston Celtics would profit from buying and selling Derrick White.
We’ve reached an period the place it’s not unusual to see articles like this. Pretend trades drive pageviews and that’s simply a part of the sport at this level, sadly.
It’s at all times fairly humorous if you see items like this involving a staff just like the Celtics although. Outdoors of an NBA 2K MyLeague save, there’s no shot that Boston would have an curiosity in flipping White in any form of deal.
They’re just too good and he’s simply too useful.
The All-Defensive guard has confirmed time and time once more that he’s an important cog in Joe Mazzulla’s basketball machine. Since buying and selling for White in February of 2022 (sure, Mazzulla hadn’t develop into head coach but), the Celtics have a file of 160-54 (.748 profitable proportion). They’ve reached the Jap Convention Finals in each season since, appeared in two NBA Finals, and received final season’s NBA championship.
That’s fairly the resume of staff success, wouldn’t you say?
To not point out that the man virtually by no means misses a recreation. When he does, it’s clear that the Cs are lacking his presence. Within the ten outings that they’ve needed to play with out The Buffalo, Boston has a file of simply 6-4 (.600). That is perhaps a good clip for many groups, however not the Celtics.
As a person, White has been great for Boston.
In every of his first two full seasons in inexperienced, the Colorado native has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive second staff. He’s fairly actually been top-of-the-line shot-blocking guards that the league has ever seen. White’s 87 blocks final season ranked twelfth all-time amongst guards in NBA historical past.
He’s been fairly nice on the offensive facet of the ball, too. Most occasions, White usually serves as a second or third scoring possibility for Boston, however he’s comfy with regardless of the staff wants of him, large or small.
En path to Boston’s 18th NBA title final spring, White had a number of scoring outbursts, together with a playoff-career-high 38 factors towards the Miami Warmth. He was unbelievable all through, averaging 16.4 factors per recreation on 45/40 capturing splits.
He’s picked up proper the place he left off this season. White is scoring a career-high 17.4 factors per recreation on environment friendly 45/39 splits.
Should you issue the entire above together with the truth that White simply signed a four-year/$118 million contract extension in July, a commerce involving him could be ridiculous. He actually can’t be traded till January 6, 2025, due to his new deal.
That contract is both the second or third Most worthy of Boston’s beginning unit, relying on how you’re feeling about Jaylen Brown’s supermax (I personally assume he’s value it). The duty of discovering somebody to suit into the staff higher than DWhite could be inconceivable. Even when they had been to land a celebrity in that cap slot, whether or not or not they’re prepared to sacrifice particular person success to gel with Boston’s core could be a large query.
To be utterly frank, I’m unsure that the Celtics have any purpose to swing a commerce earlier than this season’s deadline in any respect. Perhaps in the event that they’re lifeless set on shifting Jaden Springer in change for picks or an additional roster spot, however even then it looks like a pressure. Draft picks will surely be useful for Brad Stevens as he continues to fight the brand new CBA and construct a sustainable roster in Boston.
The Celtics have a lot cash tied up of their (many) star gamers’ contracts that the draft is basically the one means for them so as to add new expertise for an inexpensive value. Hitting on draft picks or undrafted signees goes to be important to proceed to place a robust roster round White, Brown, and Jayson Tatum. Even when Boston had been to maneuver off of considered one of their stars, they’d seemingly flip to Kristaps Porzingis or Jrue Vacation first, however even that appears far-fetched.
At this cut-off date, there’s no actual motivation for Stevens to shake up his core of gamers. Regardless of lacking Porzingis for a great chunk of their video games to date, they’re off to the identical begin as final season by means of 24 video games, 19-5. There’s nonetheless loads of video games left, but it surely doesn’t look like the Celtics are falling off anytime quickly.
