Derrick White Trade Rumors: What Celtics Were Reportedly Asking for in Talks

A report clarified Boston's asking price in a potential Derrick White trade.
White averaged a career-high 16.4 points while shooting 38.4% from three-point range for the Celtics last season.
White averaged a career-high 16.4 points while shooting 38.4% from three-point range for the Celtics last season. / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
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The Boston Celtics reportedly were only going to trade veteran guard Derrick White for a historic haul.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Saturday that the Celtics told "at least one rival team" that it insisted on a landing a trade package for White similar to what the Brooklyn Nets received last offseason from the New York Knicks for Mikal Bridges.

In July 2024, the Knicks acquired Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet and a 2026 second-round pick in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, Shake Milton, five first-round picks (two in 2025 and one apiece in '27, '29 and '31) and an additional second-rounder in 2025.

Apparently no team was willing to part with a similar smorgasbord of assets to acquire White this offseason.

Earlier this week, reports swirled about the Celtics taking calls about potentially trading White and fellow star Jaylen Brown. With Jayson Tatum set to miss at least most of next season due to a ruptured Achilles, Boston is motivated this offseason to cut salary and avoid going over the costly second apron.

Last week, the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a span of two days. But it appears White and Brown—both signed through the 2028-29 campaign—are in Boston to stay.


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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.