BOSTON — The sting of blowing a 3-1 lead to the Philadelphia 76ers is still fresh. The Celtics’ season ended not with a bang, but with a whimper — a Game 7 loss on their home floor that exposed every weakness the roster had been hiding.
And now, the trade mill is already churning.
The most frequently mentioned candidate to move? Derrick White. The 32-year-old guard who has been the Celtics’ steady hand, their defensive anchor, their unsung hero. The same Derrick White who finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The same Derrick White who sacrificed his body, his shooting percentages, and his comfort for the good of the team.
But here’s the cold reality of the NBA: sentiment doesn’t win championships. And the Celtics need more offense from their third-best player.
Ben Handler of FanSided put it bluntly: “He’s still an incredibly valuable player and will surely be named to an All-Defense team in the coming weeks, but the Celtics clearly need more on offense from their third-best player. It’s a scary thought for Celtics Nation, but the idea of selling high on D-White is not a crazy one.”
Enter Kawhi Leonard.
The 34-year-old two-time Finals MVP just had a career year. He played 65 games — shedding the health concerns that have plagued him — and averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game on 50.5% shooting. He added 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals. He was an MVP candidate for the final four months of the season.
He is not a perfect fit. He is not a long-term solution. He has one year left on his $150 million contract. He is 34 years old. His injury history is a cautionary tale.
But he is a superstar. And the Celtics have a window.
Jayson Tatum is 28. Jaylen Brown is 29. They are in their primes. The Celtics just won 56 games without Tatum for most of the season, with Brown stepping up as a fringe MVP candidate.
Add Leonard to that mix, and you have a wing trio that would terrify the Eastern Conference.
The trade would not be cheap. The Celtics would have to send White (30.35million)plusanother30.35million)plusanother20 million or so in salary to the Clippers. They might have to include a future first-round pick or a pick swap.
But the Celtics have proven that those picks will likely be at the end of the first round as long as Tatum and Brown are leading the team.
The question is not whether the Celtics can afford Leonard. The question is whether they can afford not to take the risk.
Let’s break down the case for trading for Kawhi, the case against it, and whether this is the move that pushes Boston back to the Finals — or the move that finally breaks the dynasty.
Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth about Derrick White.
White is a fan favorite. He is a defensive ace. He is a winner. He finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He will likely be named to an All-Defense team.
But his offense was a problem this season.
With Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the year, White was asked to take on a larger offensive role. He shot more than ever before — 14.4 attempts per game. He connected at a career-worst clip of 39.4% from the field. He made just 32.7% of his three-pointers, the second-lowest mark of his career.
His numbers dropped in the playoffs. He struggled to create his own shot. He was not the reliable third option the Celtics needed.
Handler’s point is valid: the Celtics need more offense from their third-best player. White is 32 years old. He is under contract for three more years. His value may never be higher than it is right now.
Selling high on White is not a crazy idea. It is a calculated risk.
Now let’s talk about the player Boston would be acquiring.
Kawhi Leonard just had one of the best seasons of his career. At 34 years old, he played 65 games — a significant number for a player with his injury history. He averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game. He shot 50.5% from the field and nearly 39% from three.
He was an MVP candidate for the final four months of the season. He looked like the same assassin who led the Toronto Raptors to a championship in 2019.
Kawhi Leonard
If the Celtics can get that version of Kawhi, they become instant title favorites. A wing trio of Tatum, Brown, and Leonard would be the most talented perimeter group in the NBA. The defensive versatility alone would be terrifying.
Leonard does not have to be ball-dominant to be effective. He thrived alongside James Harden in Los Angeles. He can play off the ball, spot up, cut, and defend at an elite level.
The fit is not perfect — but it is very, very good.
Let’s talk about how Leonard would fit into the Celtics’ system.
Joe Mazzulla’s offense is built on ball movement, spacing, and shot creation. Leonard is an elite isolation scorer, but he is also a willing passer. He has never been a ball-stopper.
With Tatum and Brown commanding defensive attention, Leonard would face single coverage more often than he has in years. He would feast.
Defensively, the Celtics would be a nightmare. Tatum, Brown, and Leonard can all guard multiple positions. They can switch everything. They can make life miserable for opposing guards and wings.
The lineup staggers would allow Mazzulla to keep two of the three stars on the floor at all times. That means Boston would always have a primary scorer, a lockdown defender, and a closer.
Assuming relative health — and that is a big assumption — this team would be a juggernaut.
Let’s not pretend the health concerns aren’t real.
Kawhi Leonard has missed significant time in almost every season of his career. He played 65 games this year — that was his highest total since 2016-17. That is not a pattern of durability. That is an outlier.
The Clippers managed his minutes carefully. They rested him on back-to-backs. They held their breath every time he landed awkwardly.
The Celtics would have to do the same. They would have to protect him during the regular season so that he is healthy for the playoffs.
But here’s the thing: the Celtics have the talent to survive without Kawhi during the regular season. Tatum and Brown carried the team to 56 wins without him last year. They can do it again.
If Kawhi is healthy for the playoffs, the gamble pays off. If he is not, the Celtics are no worse off than they are now — just with less cap flexibility.
Let’s talk about the money.
Kawhi Leonard has one year left on his $150 million contract. He will be a free agent after next season.
That is both a risk and an opportunity.
The risk: Leonard could walk after one season. The Celtics would have traded Derrick White and other assets for a one-year rental. That would be a disaster.
The opportunity: Leonard’s expiring contract gives the Celtics cap flexibility. If he leaves, they can use the space to pursue younger, longer-term players alongside Tatum and Brown. If he stays, they can negotiate an extension.
The Celtics are not trading for Kawhi to build for the future. They are trading for him to win now.
One year of a healthy Kawhi is worth the risk.
Let’s look at the Eastern Conference.
The Boston Celtics are not the only team trying to get better. The Milwaukee Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Philadelphia 76ers just pushed the Celtics to seven games without Kevin Durant for most of the series. The New York Knicks are building something special. The Cleveland Cavaliers are young and hungry.
The Celtics cannot afford to stand still.
Adding Kawhi Leonard would not guarantee a championship. But it would give the Celtics a fighting chance. It would signal to the rest of the East that Boston is all-in.
If the Celtics pass on Kawhi, someone else will not. There will be other suitors. The Clippers are motivated to move him before he walks for nothing.
The Celtics need to act decisively.
So, after all that analysis, what’s the bottom line? Should the Boston Celtics trade Derrick White and other assets for Kawhi Leonard?
The answer depends on what you believe about this team’s championship window.
If you believe that Tatum and Brown can win a title without another superstar — that the supporting cast is good enough, that the chemistry is right, that the development of young players will push them over the top — then you keep White. You trust the process. You run it back.
If you believe that the Celtics are one piece away — that they need a third star to compete with the best teams in the league — then you make the trade. You take the risk. You go all in.
The Celtics have never been a team that plays it safe. They traded for Kevin Garnett. They traded for Ray Allen. They traded for Kyrie Irving (that one didn’t work out). They traded for Derrick White.
They are not afraid of bold moves.
Kawhi Leonard is a bold move. He is a gamble. He is a risk. But he is also a two-time Finals MVP. A player who, when healthy, is one of the best in the world.
The Celtics have a window. Tatum and Brown are in their primes. The Eastern Conference is open.
Make the trade. Bring Kawhi to Boston. Let the chips fall where they may.
The Boston Celtics are at a crossroads. They just blew a 3-1 lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. Their season ended in disappointment. Their roster has a clear flaw: they need more offense from their third-best player.
Derrick White is a wonderful player. He is a defensive ace. He is a fan favorite. But he is 32 years old. His shooting dipped this season. His value may never be higher.
Kawhi Leonard is available. He is 34 years old. He has an injury history that would make any team nervous. But he just had a career year. He averaged 27.9 points per game on 50.5% shooting. He looked like the assassin who led the Raptors to a title.
The trade would cost the Celtics Derrick White, another $20 million in salary, and likely a future first-round pick. It would be a gamble. It would be a risk.
But the Celtics have never been afraid of risks. They traded for Kevin Garnett. They traded for Ray Allen. They traded for Kyrie Irving. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.
Kawhi Leonard is a one-year rental. He could leave after next season. He could get hurt. He could regress.
Or he could be the piece that pushes the Celtics back to the Finals.
Tatum is 28. Brown is 29. The window is open. The East is there for the taking.
The Celtics should make the trade. They should bring Kawhi to Boston. They should go all in.
And then they should hold their breath and hope that the gamble pays off.