NBA Trade Rumors: $118,048,000 Celtics' guard on Warriors radar to help Steph Curry win elusive fifth ring 

The Golden State Warriors were dealt a tough blow in their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves when Stephen Curry went down with a hamstring injury in Game 1. The All-Star point guard couldn't make it back before his team lost in five games, sending Golden State into an offseason full of questions. One of the potential answers is a surprising name: Derrick White.

White signed a 4 year, $118,048,000 contract before the 2024-25 season began, according to Spotrac. The shooting guard emerged as a key member of the Boston Celtics during their championship run and further proved himself with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

He stepped up when Jayson Tatum tore his ACL in Game 4 against the New York Knicks in the second round, scoring 34 points in a 127-102 Game 5 win at home. Boston will be without Tatum next season and the team is too expensive to keep together, leaving White, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday as the biggest names likely to be moved.

Golden State is looking for defensive-minded wing players to add to their team along with a center this offseason, and White could be a perfect fit. The Ringer's Logan Murdock hinted that the Warriors could approach the Celtics with a deal centering around the guard this summer on the Zach Lowe Show.

“Another guy that I think you should look at for the Warriors going forward is Derrick White," Murdock said. "I think that’s something the Warriors are looking at right now.”

After trading Klay Thompson away to the Dallas Mavericks last summer, the Warriors missed his defense and his reliable three-point shooting. Buddy Hield is a capable deep range threat, but he, along with most of the other Golden State role players, couldn't step up enough to fill Curry's shoes in his absence.

What would bringing Derrick White to Golden State cost the Warriors?

Trading for White's $118 million contract is tricky, but not impossible for the Warriors. At this point, the biggest question is what the Celtics would want in return. Without Tatum, Jaylen Brown is expected to step up and take over the responsibility of being the team's primary scorer, but if the team is moving on from so many other players, they need enough shooting to replace them.

The contracts of Hield and Moses Moody match White's for next year, making a package centered around the two of them the best option for Golden State. Hield's shooting fits well into Boston's system, while Moody is a young talent that the Celtics can continue developing on a more affordable deal. However, whether or not Brad Stevens will require a first round pick for White is unknown.

Tatum's injury puts Boston's roster in a state of flux as they try to figure out a gameplan. Their new ownership doesn't want such an expensive team, and Golden State is one of many squads ready to take advantage of that. If they can bring in White, he gives them another co-star who can fit next to Curry as the he tries to cap off his career with a fifth NBA championship.