The Boston Celtics would prefer not to trade Jaylen Brown or Derrick White this offseason, but what if a team comes calling with an enticing offer for one of their stars?
According to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, the Celtics have already fielded calls from teams interested in Brown and White. Boston is listening to trade offers for anyone on its roster, with the exception of injured superstar Jayson Tatum.
“Besides Tatum, the Celtics are at least listening to offers for everybody out there, whether it’s Derrick White or Jaylen Brown,” O’Connor said on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’season special. “Shams (Charania) said big offers have been made for those guys. How can you not listen? Now, as Shams said, and I’ve heard as well, I don’t think Boston wants to trade Jaylen Brown or wants to trade Derrick White. They want to go the Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser route for getting under the second apron.
“But ultimately, they want to avoid Brown or White trades. That’s what is going around the NBA. That’s what everybody’s talking about. But teams are making offers, so you at least have to listen. If somebody comes over the top with some absurd offer on draft night or the day before the draft, maybe that’s the route that makes more sense for you to go if it seems like it’s too good to be true that it’s actually an offer being made to you.”
On a previous episode of The Off C’season, O’Connor mentioned the San Antonio Spurs as a potential trade partner for Brown. The Spurs have the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — likely Rutgers guard Dylan Harper — and a handful of active players who could pique the president of basketball operations Brad Stevens’ interest.
As for White, the Golden State Warriors reportedly have expressed interest in the two-time All-Defensive guard. For what it’s worth, NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine emphatically stated that “there’s no way in hell” White isn’t on the team next season and beyond.
Regardless, the Celtics will have to make some difficult decisions this summer as they aim to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. They must shed roughly $20 million to make that happen, which will require parting ways with at least one rotation player from their championship core. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser each are prime candidates to be moved, though our The Off C’season panel argued in favor of keeping Porzingis.
Big moves could be made before the 2025 NBA Draft begins on Wednesday, June 25. The Celtics currently own the No. 28 and No. 32 overall picks.
Watch the full episode of The Off C’season featuring O’Connor, Scalabrine, Chris Forsberg, and Drew Carter below:
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