Overview
- Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus outlined a hypothetical deal that would route Boston’s Derrick White to Houston as a veteran replacement for injured Rockets guard Fred VanVleet.
- Under the proposal, Houston would receive White, Haywood Highsmith and a $5 million trade exception, Boston would get Reed Sheppard, Jalen Wilson, a 2029 first-round pick and a $28.1 million trade exception, and Brooklyn would land VanVleet plus a 2027 first-rounder.
- Pincus argued White’s playoff experience and two-way play could stabilize Houston’s backcourt and elevate a team currently on a three-game win streak built around 37-year-old Kevin Durant.
- The concept frames Boston’s incentive as financial, with Pincus estimating nearly $39.5 million in luxury-tax savings plus an estimated $12 million rebate if the club drops below the tax line.
- Insiders such as Jake Fischer report the Celtics have set a very high price for White, who is signed through 2026–27, keeping the multi-team scenario as a public proposal rather than an active negotiation.