NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics’ asking price for Derrick White mirrors blockbuster Mikal Bridges deal

The Boston Celtics have begun reshaping their roster to avoid crossing the second apron, dealing away starters Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in separate trades that still netted them quality assets in return. Reports indicate the Celtics aren’t finished yet, and another player potentially on the move is Derrick White.

White has been a dependable contributor, putting up career-best averages of 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season. He also posted 4.8 assists and added 2.0 combined steals and blocks per game. According to an NBA insider, players of White’s caliber on contending teams are likely to command a significant return.

In Jake Fischer’s latest piece on The Stein Line, he noted that the Celtics are reportedly seeking a return similar to what the Brooklyn Nets got for Mikal Bridges in their blockbuster deal with the New York Knicks.

“Sources say Boston told at least one rival team that it would have insisted on a ‘Mikal Bridges-type’ package to part with Derrick White, league sources say,” Fischer wrote.

“The Celtics have certainly received no shortage of inbound trade calls on both White and Jaylen Brown in recent days, but nothing got serious on either front.”

In the Bridges deal, New York sent Bojan Bogdanovic along with unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031, a protected 2025 first-rounder from Milwaukee, a 2028 unprotected pick swap and a 2025 second-rounder.

The Celtics originally brought White to Boston during the 2021–22 season, sending Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 first-round pick (used on Blake Wesley) and 2028 first-round swap rights to the Spurs.

Reliable role players are highly sought after—White played a key part in Boston’s 2023-24 title run, just as Alex Caruso was vital in helping the Thunder win the championship this season.

Celtics demanding major returns for Derrick White and Jaylen Brown

Aside from Derrick White, Jaylen Brown has also drawn substantial interest from around the league, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. On Thursday’s episode of “Get Up,” Charania said:

"There's a couple of other players, Sam Hauser, Anfernee Simons, that at minimum if they do want to continue to shed even more out of the first apron, out of the luxury tax, they could.

"There's heavy interest in those two guys, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but a very, very high price threshold if anybody wants them."

MassLive’s Brian Robb reported that Boston plans to “remain active in the trade market while retooling their roster,” following their moves to send Jrue Holiday to Portland and Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta.

Those trades brought the Celtics back under the second apron, giving them greater flexibility, now allowing them to combine salaries in deals, trade first-round picks seven years ahead and include cash in trades.