The Celtics were in plenty of trade rumors when it came to some of their biggest stars ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, though no further deals took place. Teams asked about Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, though the Celtics didn’t like enough of the offers.
But a potential White price tag was revealed by NBA insider Jake Fischer. The Celtics told a rival NBA team, per Fischer, that they wanted a package like the one the Nets got in exchange for Mikal Bridges last summer. The Knicks sent a haul in that deal that included four unprotected first-round picks, an extra first-round pick that was top-5 protected, a future pick swap and other assets.
Now, no team was willing to match that price for White. Fischer noted that the Celtics received trade calls on both White and Brown but “nothing got serious on either front.” Celtics vice president Mike Zarren said as much speaking after the end of the 2025 NBA Draft last Thursday.
“Those two guys are really, really great NBA players, and there hasn’t been anything close to serious about trading them,” Zarren said. “I’m not sure where all this reporting came from but those guys are key parts of our team, and we’re lucky to have them here.”
Now, there have been some trade offers that have trickled out. One of them made the Celtics front office reportedly laugh as the Raptors offered the No. 9 pick for White, which clearly isn’t enough to land the two-time All-Defensive team guard. White, who turns 31 this week, has been a core piece of the Celtics.
White’s trade market is also interesting not just because of his stellar play on the court. He’s considered one of the best role players in the league, plus it doesn’t hurt that he just set the franchise record for made 3-pointers in a season.
But it’s also that White is on a four-year, $118 million contract that he agreed to last summer. Considering the type of value he brings as a starter and how well-liked he is within the organization, it’s no surprise the Celtics are asking for a Bridges-like trade package.
The Celtics are expected to stay active in the trade market as NBA free agency opens at 6 p.m. Monday. The C’s have already dealt Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in separate deals, but they’re looking to shed further salary. How they do that is the big question going forward as the front office continues to alter the roster.