The Los Angeles Lakers are in an interesting spot in early August. The organization has undoubtedly improved since losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason, adding Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.
However, while things look promising for the Luka Doncic-led Lakers, there’s no denying the franchise has the assets necessary to make another impactful summer move. In Sports Illustrated’s Matt Brandon’s opinion, Los Angeles should complete a trade for a thriving NBA champion Celtics guard.
“If the Lakers can acquire Derrick White without giving up Austin Reaves, that’s a massive win, ”Brandon wrote Monday. “For L.A., this deal is about maximizing their win-now window with LeBron and Luka Doncic.”
“White’s elite perimeter defense and off-ball shooting make him the ideal backcourt complement to Doncic, who thrives with secondary playmakers who don’t need the ball to impact the game. Plus, White could help mask Luka’s defensive shortcomings and give the Lakers a true two-way identity.”
“Yes, the Lakers would lack some wing depth, but adding White to a backcourt that already features a defensive specialist like Marcus Smart could cause serious headaches for opposing point guards.”
In Brandon’s blockbuster trade proposal, the Lakers would send Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, and two future first-round picks to the Celtics for White, Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta.
As Brandon alluded to, White and Smart have similar skill sets. Although White is the more polished and reliable offensive threat in 2025, both contributors are committed on-ball defenders who have too much pride to get torched regularly (which would help their partnership work in Los Angeles). White averaged 16.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game with the Celtics last season, shooting 44.2% from the field and 38.4% from downtown.
The Colorado product is expected to assume a more significant offensive role next season due to Jayson Tatum’s devastating Achilles injury. Still, Brandon’s hypothetical trade package for White should be enough to cause the Celtics to consider sending the former first-round pick to the West Coast.
