There's a great feeling that some starters from the Boston Celtics will not be back next season. We just don't know who it will be just yet. All that we know is that the Celtics would face harsh second-apron penalties without shedding roughly $20 million in salary before the 2026 trade deadline.
It would make the most sense for Boston to work towards that goal sooner rather than later (this offseason), while teams around the association are still shaping their rosters for next season. The general speculation has been centered around [Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday](https://hardwoodhoudini.com/boston-celtics-jrue-holiday-twist-threw-wrench-trade-strategy-attach-picks-bad-contract-value-nba-rumors-jake-fischer-kristaps-porzingis), who will earn a combined $63.1 million in the 2025-26 season.
Offloading those two would alleviate the financial stress of the Celtics while allowing them to retain other building blocks like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. Though that pathway is the most optimal, there could be room for Boston to cash in on some strong returns if they decide to entertain trades for those players.
According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, teams like the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors could be willing to pay a hefty price for Brown and White, respectively.
"I think it's massive, I do," O'Connor said of Jaylen Brown's trade value during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston's "[Early Edition](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-videos/oconnor-brown-white-have-massive-trade-value-if-cs-make-a-move/711023/)" on Wednesday. "Like, think about Houston, for example. If they wanted to reunite Ime Udoka with Jaylen Brown... if the Rockets, on draft night, come calling with the 10th overall pick, Fred VanVleet's contract, which will only have one year left after his team option kicks in, and a bunch of other high-value picks... If you're the Celtics, I think you at least have to listen.
"It's the same thing for a guy like Derrick White," he added. "If the Golden State Warriors were to call up and offer a Mikal Bridges-esque package. Four first-round draft picks for Derrick White. You gotta listen."
Now, O'Connor didn't necessarily point to these hypotheticals as the BEST things the Celtics can do. He concluded by pointing to the path of keeping White and Brown in order to be ready to compete upon Jayson Tatum's return as the most logical move.
**It's really hard to trade Derrick White and Jaylen Brown if the only thing you're getting back is hope**
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Anytime a team, in any sport, trades proven talent for draft capital, what they're really trading for is hope. There's a hope that they'll be able to maximize the value of whatever picks they've gotten in return to help restructure their roster for a future championship push.
The problem with trading Brown, White, or both is that they are currently good enough to contribute to a championship roster. They've done it. Literally less than a year ago, the two of them were with the rest of the Celtics riding duck boats through the streets of Boston after capturing Banner 18.
They will still be good enough to lead the team alongside Tatum once he's recovered from his torn Achilles. It would actually be unfair to Tatum, in the short term, if the Celtics traded such important figures away just on the premise of hope. The workload he'd have to endure upon returning to the lineup would be so much greater without his two running mates.
Even if you're in the camp of wanting to add assets and take advantage of the potential "gap year" in Tatum's absence, this is a bit too much. If you want the team to tank to try and add a top prospect, sure. They would be able to do that without necessarily gutting the roster.
Anyway, all reports point to Porzingis and Holiday being trade priorities. Losing them will still be tough, but it's a necessary step to take with the league's CBA putting a vice grip on teams who overspend.