The Boston Celtics’ offseason of re-tooling has already taken shape. In the past couple of days, the team has already parted ways with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, signaling the start of at least a soft rebuild for next season.
Derrick White could become the next domino to fall. According to a report from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Toronto Raptors have emerged as a potential candidate for White’s services, coming in with a strong offer surrounding the Raptors’ lottery pick in this year’s draft.
“As part of unexpected discussions held with the Celtics this week, sources say the Raptors created an offer based around the ninth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft,” Siegel said. “The expectation is that if Toronto was to swing a deal for White in the coming hours leading up to Wednesday's draft, they would do so with the involvement of other teams as part of a larger, multi-team trade.”
White signed a four-year extension worth $118 million with the Celtics last offseason, which will kick in this upcoming season. White was essential in Boston’s championship run in 2024, and has become a fan favorite in town for his exceptional two-way play.
Since landing in Boston via trade in 2022, White has transformed his career. He has averaged 14.2 points per game and shot 38 percent from three-point range in three and a half seasons in Boston. This past season, he averaged a career-high 16.2 points per game, and bumped that up to 18.8 points per game in the playoffs.
With the Celtics likely taking a different direction this offseason, the situation with White will be one to monitor if he’s not traded sooner rather than later.