NBA Mock Trade Sends Celtics Champion to New Orleans Pelicans

After losing all three of their biggest frontcourt pieces over the offseason, the Boston Celtics' roster will look considerably different heading into the regular season.

Jaylen Brown remains at the forefront of the 18-time champions' quest back to the playoffs, but without Jayson Tatum, who suffered a ruptured Achilles in the playoffs, those hopes look bleak.

If the Celtics decide to shake things up further, they have several pieces still available to deal; the likelihood of such a move is slim. But Bleacher Report proposed one involving the New Orleans Pelicans, who are still searching for a way out of the depths of the Western Conference.

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Bleacher Report Proposes Pelicans Trade for White

In a league-wide analysis, Bleacher Report suggested one trade for every NBA team. For the Pelicans, it was landing White in exchange for a wealth of youth:

BOS receives: Herb Jones, Jeremiah Fears, Micah Peavy, 2031 First-Round Pick
NOLA receives: Derrick White

"The Celtics would have to pretty desperate to shed additional salary to move on from Derrick White, but this deal would do just that for them," the site wrote. "It would trim Boston's payroll by about $5.4 million, getting it closer to ducking the tax line."

Jan 12, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) dribbles down the court during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden. | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Pelicans would be hard-pressed to move on from Fears, especially, who they selected seventh overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Especially if it meant moving several other pieces, as well.

Bleacher Report seems to thinks Boston would be the bigger beneficiary.

"Lineups with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Herb Jones would be a nightmare defensively," the site wrote. "Jeremiah Fears has some upside as a scoring guard. And that future first-rounder from an organization with as little success as New Orleans could hold plenty of value."

Sep 23, 2025; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) takes part in media day at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Naturally, pairing White with budding star Trey Murphy III and a reinvigorated Zion Williamson would create a pathway for the Pelicans to improve upon last season. White, in 76 appearances, averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 44 percent shooting from the field.

But New Orleans is likely to lean into the youth it has yet to develop. And White won't be keen on leaving Boston, either.

"(It's) such a blessing to be a part of this roster," the guard said after the Celtics' championship in 2024. "They made me a better player, a better person."

Bleacher Report Proposes Pelicans Trade for White

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