Brad Stevens spent his first trade deadline as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations retooling the team in his vision.
And he paid a steep price to do it.
The Celtics are a different team after Thursday’s deadline, swapping out Dennis Schroder and Josh Richardson for Derrick White and Daniel Theis. The first thing that stands out about White and Theis is they’re signed through 2024-25.
That means Stevens probably views them as long-term rotational pieces. We know how much he loves Theis. And apparently, Ime Udoka loves White. Udoka coached White for multiple years with the Spurs and Team USA during the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
White also played with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. The deal presumably came with their blessing.
Nobody is going to kvetch about moving on from Schroder and Richardson — though the latter was starting to play better. Schroder signed with the Celtics on an apparent mission to earn back the $84 million he foolishly turned down from the Lakers. Instead, he was inconsistent on a nightly basis, and never developed into the dynamic sixth-man he was earlier in his career.
But still, Theis isn’t a great return. He’s a hard-nosed, yet mediocre big man. Theis averaged 22.5 minutes per game for the horrible Rockets.
It seems like the Celtics valued familiarity in both deals.
White stands out as a strong defender, though he’s a mediocre offensive player. The veteran guard is shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range. He’s averaging 14.4 points per game.
The Celtics also gave up two first-round picks — one in 2022 and a potential swap in 2028 — for White’s services. He earns just over $15 million per year.
Every move the Celtics make should be about setting up Tatum and Brown to thrive. One of the central weaknesses on the team is the absence of a reliable shooter who can relieve some pressure from the two J’s.
White doesn’t provide that.
But he is a strong two-way player on a reasonable multi-year deal. Again, Stevens probably envisions White sticking around for a while.
It was likely unrealistic to expect the Celtics to make a blockbuster trade Thursday, especially after winning six straight. Tatum and Brown are both at the front end of nine-figure deals.
If the Celtics are going to break through, they’ll be the ones leading the way.
One of the hallmarks of Stevens’ early Celtics teams was their depth and toughness. White and Theis both fit into that mold.
The Celtics aren’t more talented, but they may fit better. Stevens is betting on good chemistry and effort being able to uplift everybody, especially their two developing stars.
The model largely worked for him as a coach. We’ll see if it works for him as an executive.