The writing is on the wall that the Celtics will need to part ways with at least one or two top players on their roster this summer to get under the second apron of the NBA’s luxury tax.
Both Jrue Holiday ($32.4 million salary in 2025-26) and Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7 million) stand as the two most likely targets for Brad Stevens when it comes to shedding salary.
While both players played a key role in Boston’s run to a title in 2024, Holiday’s age (34) and Porzingis’ health could make them assets worth moving on from.
Getting their money off the books would get Boston out of luxury-tax headaches — giving the team more flexibility ahead of a season where Jayson Tatum could miss significant time with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
But if the Celtics are looking to maximize their returns and retool on the fly following Tatum’s injury, could another Celtics starter in Derrick White be a more appealing trade chip?
White’s age (30), stout defensive play, and 3-point shooting should make him a more valuable trade target for teams this offseason — especially given that his contract is a bit more palatable at four more seasons (one being a player option) and a $28.1 million salary next season.
During an interview on Zach Lowe’s podcast, former Warriors beat reporter and staffer at The Ringer Logan Murdock said that the Golden State Warriors are interested in acquiring a sharpshooting guard like White.
“Another guy for the Warriors to look at going forward is Derrick White,” Murdock told Lowe. “I think that’s something the Warriors are looking at right now. That’s somebody who can play defense, can settle everyone down especially when you have a young group like that.”
While Boston conceivably would want to retain White as a still-effective starter who could remain in place once Tatum returns from injury, Lowe noted that Stevens and the Celtics may have to consider moving White.
“I’ve talked about how depressing trading Derrick White would be for Boston, and the sort of a dilemma they face in terms of, ‘How much of a reset do we really want to have and who we want to be back here when Tatum comes back?’” Lowe said. “Who has trade value in the interim and where (does) Derrick White fit in that conversation?”
But even though White could potentially net Boston a good younger player or a solid haul of draft picks, the Celtics are reportedly prioritizing other players on their roster before turning to White as a trade chip. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Boston is “more apt to make Jrue Holiday available via trade this offseason than Derrick White.”
Stein added that even with his health concerns, Porzingis could be Boston’s “most movable” veteran on the roster, given that he has an expiring contract.
