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The Boston Celtics have raced out to a flaming hot start in the 2022-23 season. Fresh off a disappointing loss in the 2022 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors, the C's have quickly proven that their sudden second half turnaround last year was no fluke, and that they mean business when it comes to not just making it back to the Finals, but winning it all this time around.
The Celtics are led by their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but what helps them dominate on a nightly basis is the depth of their team. Boston was deep last season, and they managed to hold onto every key member of their rotation from last season while adding Malcolm Brogdon and implementing Sam Hauser into their lineup this season.
It's tough to find a roster that is built better than Boston's right now, and it will only get better once Robert Williams III makes his season debut soon. But there may be an opportunity for the Celtics to improve even more by trading away one of the key pieces of their rotation, so let's identify who that player is and see why now is the time to trade them.
Celtics player who must be traded: Derrick White
When the Celtics traded for Brogdon from the Indiana Pacers over the offseason, it immediately created a logjam in the backcourt for Boston. Marcus Smart was going to remain the starting point guard, and Derrick White and Payton Pritchard both had huge roles in the C's Finals run. It didn't seem like there was an obvious fit for all four guys right off the bat.
So far, though, it has worked out pretty well. White has started 14 of the Celtics first 19 games, and Brogdon has been exceptional coming off the bench, Pritchard hasn't played every game, but his plug-and-play ability, even when he doesn't have consistent minutes, has been a huge help with Smart and Brogdon dealing with injuries.
Having four playable guards is a luxury that not many teams have, but it's been hard to ignore the fact that the C's frontcourt has been shorthanded in the early going, especially with Williams being forced to miss the start of the season. Guys like Luke Kornet and Noah Vonleh have done a good job at holding down the fort behind Al Horford and Grant Williams, but it feels like some more frontcourt help would be a welcome sight.
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Quite frankly, there's really no need for Boston to make any changes to their roster right now. But if there's a move for them to make, it would involve them shipping off White in exchange for a guy who can help fill out their frontcourt depth for the time being. And there may not be a better time to make this move than the present.
White struggled at times making the transition to the Celtics last season after he was picked up from the San Antonio Spurs at the trade deadline, but he's been exactly what they have needed so far this season. White is a strong defender who can space the floor on offense, while also running things when he's called upon as well. Boston's offensive versatility is a big reason why they are dominating their opponents, and White has played a big role in that.
White has spent more time shooting threes this season, and he's been lights out, hitting them at a 43.6 percent clip this season. This is after he shot just 30.6 percent from behind the arc during his regular season action with Boston last year. White has markedly improved as a shooter, and when you combine that with his defensive know-how, it makes him an extremely valuable player.
If Boston really wanted to shake up their roster, it would make sense to add another center who can work in tandem with Horford and Williams III when he comes back, while allowing Grant Williams to play at his more preferred power forward position. There may not be a better time to sell high on White, who has had a great start to the season.
The Celtics could technically accomplish this by trading Pritchard, but he's been so good on offense in his limited time that it makes no sense trading him considering he has more room to grow than White. Both guys have been great to start the season, so now could be the time to capitalize on that and make a move with a desperate team.
Realistically speaking, the chances of White, or anyone on the Celtics, being moved by the front office right now is incredibly low. Boston has been on fire early on, and they are doing it without their most impactful defender in Williams at center. This team won't have a true hole once he returns, and while trading White does make sense considering his value has never been higher, it wouldn't be surprising to see the C's stand pat on the trade market unless something wild happens.
