Derrick White and Baylor Scheierman for Jaden Ivey, a top-10 protected 2027 first-round pick and a top-5 protected 2029 first-round pic
The Boston Celtics have some decisions to make during what is likely to be something of a gap year in 2025-26.
Jayson Tatum will likely spend all of the campaign rehabbing a ruptured Achilles. And without him, it will be hard to justify having the most expensive roster in the league by far.
Instead of paying north of $220 million in salary and north of $230 million in the luxury tax, Boston could send a player (or players) into another team’s cap space and go for a quick reload for 2026-27.
This is exactly that kind of deal. And though it would hurt to lose Derrick White, Jaden Ivey is an interesting potential replacement who’s younger, makes less money (for now) and still has plenty of developmental runway.
Getting picks along with him is a bonus for an expensive team that will need contributors on rookie deals for the foreseeable future.
For the Detroit Pistons, this is obviously about taking the next step toward meaningful contention. White will improve the team’s defense, take a little pressure off Cade Cunningham as a playmaker and boost the team’s three-point volume and efficiency.
