NBA Trade Suggestion Lands Pistons $118 Million Celtics Player

Could the Detroit Pistons pick up Derrick White?
Mar 18, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) returns the ball against Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Mar 18, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) returns the ball against Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Following a shocking second-round exit, the Boston Celtics are suddenly being viewed as a team that could sell some notable veterans next year. The $118 million man, Derrick White, will be a name to keep an eye on.

While there haven’t been any official links between Derrick White and the Detroit Pistons, many writers, analysts, and fans have encouraged the up-and-coming franchise to consider taking a chance on a big trade. As Cade Cunningham has emerged into an All-Star, the Pistons are on the right path to contention.

One NBA trade proposal suggests a framework that could help Detroit land Derrick White from Boston.

Derrick Whit
Dec 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) dribbles against Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) during the first quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Cutting Ties With a Homegrown Prospect to Speed Up the Contending Process

Pistons Get: Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman

Celtics Get: Jaden Ivey, a top-10 protected 2027 first-round pick and a top-5 protected 2029 first-round pick

“The asking price may seem steep, but White is one of the best two-way players in the league, there are decent protections on the picks and Detroit has already proven it's ready to start adding veterans.”

On paper, Derrick White would be a huge boost for the Pistons. The four-year, $118 million offer from the Celtics wasn’t a mistake. He was a key contributor to a 2024 NBA Championship team.

Since landing in Boston, White has averaged 14 points on 45 percent shooting from the field. From three, White has knocked down 38 percent of his attempts on seven shots per game. This past season, he averaged 16 points on 38 percent shooting from deep.

Next year, White is slated to make $28 million. By 2028-2029, he’ll have an opportunity to make as much as $34 million on a player option.

Detroit potentially parting ways with Jaden Ivey was frequently discussed last offseason. After a very solid 30-game sample size in 2024-2025, the 22-year-old guard has made it more difficult to include him in any trades. Before going down with a season-ending injury, Ivey posted averages of 18 points on 41 percent shooting from deep, along with four rebounds and four assists per game.

Offensively, the numbers have been similar between Ivey and White. Defensively, the Celtics guard has proven to be one of the best at his position at this stage in his career. Cutting ties with Ivey this early on certainly isn’t easy, but if the Celtics are willing to talk about a reasonable asking price for White, it should be something the Pistons consider.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA


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