The Boston Celtics entered the 2025 offseason with a clear mission: tighten the purse strings while keeping their championship-caliber roster intact. But the Toronto Raptors had other plans, dangling a juicy trade offer that left the Celtics chuckling in disbelief. According to The Ringer’s Zach Lowe, the Raptors boldly offered their No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for Boston’s defensive maestro, Derrick White. The response? A swift and resounding “no way” from the Celtics’ front office.
Lowe revealed on June 26 that the Raptors’ offer came hot on the heels of Jayson Tatum’s injury, a moment when Toronto likely sensed an opportunity to pry away a key piece of Boston’s lineup. “I’m told that’s true, but it happened like a month-and-a-half ago,” Lowe said. “Boston laughed at that offer and said, ‘We need way more than No. 9 for Derrick White.’” And who could blame them? White, now locked in for the first year of a four-year, $118 million contract, is a cornerstone of the Celtics’ backcourt, blending tenacious defense with timely scoring.
But the Raptors didn’t stop at White. According to Jake Fischer on CLNS Media’s The Garden Report, Toronto also inquired about another Celtics star, Jrue Holiday, offering the same No. 9 pick. “Toronto Raptors were calling for the number nine pick for Jrue and for Derrick,” Fischer reported. Boston, however, wasn’t biting. The Celtics saw through the Raptors’ gambit, recognizing that neither White nor Holiday—both integral to their 2024 championship run—was worth a mid-lottery pick alone.
NEW @CelticsCLNS — @JakeLFischer joined @TheGardenReport in Vegas and discussed the #Celtics‘ offseason, including why Boston passed up on the No. 9 pick from Toronto for Derrick White, Jrue Holiday. pic.twitter.com/daNClC3Utk
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) July 16, 2025
The Raptors ultimately kept the No. 9 pick and selected Collin Murray-Boyles, a promising talent but hardly a match for the proven value of Boston’s backcourt duo. Meanwhile, the Celtics made their own moves, trading Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for the dynamic Anfernee Simons and later sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that brought Massachusetts native Georges Niang back to Boston.
The Celtics’ emphatic rejection of Toronto’s offers underscores their confidence in their core. White, with his versatility and clutch play, remains a non-negotiable asset as Boston gears up for the 2025-26 season. The Raptors’ bold swing may have missed, but it’s hard not to admire their ambition—even if it left the Celtics laughing all the way to the bank.