Celtics Trade Pitch Lands Them Explosive Scorer
The Boston Celtics continue navigating an offseason full of questions — with shedding salary their main priority thus far. But after a summer of aggressive cost-cutting measures and roster reshuffling, an intriguing trade scenario has emerged.
The idea — earning praise from Barstool Sports’ Dan Greenberg — would send Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls for Coby White and Jalen Smith in a move that could potentially benefit both sides in what has already been a transformative summer.
White and Smith Save Celtics $5.8 Million
Boston’s motivation is twofold: create financial flexibility and add versatile depth. Simons is a scoring machine, but his $27.68 million contract represents a significant burden for a team desperately trying to get under luxury tax thresholds. White and Smith, meanwhile, would cost just $21.89 million combined for the season — offering immediate relief, saving the Celtics approximately $5.8 million.
From Chicago’s perspective, the deal makes sense if they’re hesitant about White’s extension price. Rather than risk losing White for nothing in free agency, the Bulls would acquire Simons’ higher expiring contract at $27.68 million — providing greater cap relief next summer while avoiding the difficult decision of whether to pay White long-term market value.
As Greenberg noted about the potential deal: “If CHI doesn’t want to extend him, why wouldn’t they want a higher salary expiring player?”
Two Strategic Pathways for Boston
The beauty of this trade lies in the optionality it creates for the Celtics’ front office. Boston would have two distinct pathways to maximize value:
Option 1: Flip and Save
Keep Smith as frontcourt insurance and trade White into a team’s trade exception or to a franchise operating below the tax line at the deadline. This approach prioritizes immediate financial relief while maintaining roster flexibility.
Option 2: Extend and Build
Trade Smith into a team’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception and extend White if the price aligns with Boston’s long-term vision. This strategy focuses on building around White’s emerging two-way potential.
Either pathway could push Boston closer to escaping the luxury tax penalties — a huge win for a front office looking to reset its financial timeline while staying competitive.
Why White Fits the Celtics’ System
While Smith brings valuable frontcourt depth, White represents the crown jewel of this potential acquisition. The 25-year-old guard has developed into a legitimate scorer, averaging 20.4 points and 4.5 assists last season while shooting 37.0% from three.
Under Joe Mazzulla’s system, White’s versatility would be maximized. His ability to play both guard positions, create his own shot, and defend make him an ideal fit for Boston. More importantly, White’s age (25) could align perfectly with the Celtics’ next championship window once Jayson Tatum returns.
What Comes Next?
While the move might be unlikely, the logic behind this proposed deal is clear: Boston gains financial flexibility while adding a perfect system fit in White, and Chicago avoids losing an asset for nothing while gaining greater cap relief.
In a summer defined by salary-shedding priorities, this trade pitch from social media highlights the type of creative maneuvering Boston may need to explore if they want to balance their books and stay in the championship mix.
