San Antonio Spurs’ Stunning Trade Of Derrick White Is Biggest Leap Into Rebuild

While not on the level of the James Harden trade between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, the San Antonio Spurs’ eye-popping deal of Derrick White to the Boston Celtics consumed a small part of the trade deadline spotlight. The Colorado product went to the northeast for a package of Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Boston’s 2022 first round pick (top-four protected, per the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach) and the conditional right to swap first-round picks with Boston in 2028.

White arrived as an extra piece to a consistently winning Spurs team in 2017, but once the Kawhi Leonard saga altered the franchise, that role changed and grew, with wavering results. He shot just 41.9 percent and 32.9 percent on 3-pointers the past two seasons, but still rates as one of the game’s best defensive guards. Despite the poor metrics, though, the 27-year-old has averaged 14.3 points, 6.0 assists and 37.5 percent on 3-pointers since Jan 15, so the numbers are trending properly, thus helping his value for this trade, which seemingly arose from nowhere.

However, sending White to Boston is the Spurs’ loudest way, so far, of focusing on the future. Sure, the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade signaled a change, but Thursday’s deadline-day deal signaled the mode San Antonio is in, ready and willing to move assets under contract for the right price. It’s difficult to argue with what they received, too, with Boston’s 2022 first round pick conveying, barring a shocking second-half collapse. Romeo Langford, while not living up to the pre-draft hype, has the chance is a low-pressure environment to thrive and work under Gregg Popovich, hoping to uncover a diamond in the rough in the process. Josh Richardson should have a role in the middle of the lineup, but his presence in this trade is the $11.6 million salary against White’s $15.1 million for 2021-22.

The protected pick is San Antonio’s third first-rounder of 2022, potentially setting them up to control their destiny this summer in picking from a deep draft class. While the Boston and Toronto picks may both fall outside the lottery, one or both could be packaged to move up or be attached to the Spurs’ own pick. These recent trades have gone against the San Antonio basketball DNA of the past three decades, so it’s hard to rule out anything moving forward. Otherwise, owning three first-round picks bolsters an already young core helmed by Dejounte Murray, with just as many chances to hit on the next franchise stalwart. The possibilities are fruitful, albeit in an unpredictable process.

KENS5’s Tom Petrini summed up just how active the Spurs have been, in general, in accumulating future assets:

It’s evident of how fast the Spurs are marching towards rebuilding, joining the other developmental teams in the process of building an arsenal of draft picks. So, perhaps it should not make the White trade too surprising, given how the change in philosophy has been gradually unveiling itself since last summer. There is initial shock and awe of moving a starting lineup cog, mid-season, in San Antonio, but for that price from a desperate Celtics team trying to make noise, it makes sense from general manager Brian Wright.

If the White trade is indicative of anything, the Spurs are open for business for their rebuild. Come the off-season, more notable names could be on the move to continue reshaping the franchise.