The Celtics got a good player in this trade: Derrick White has been a solid starter with the Spurs for a few seasons now. He’s averaging 14.4 points a game, plays good defense, and while he may not be a great 3-point shooter he plays a high IQ game and stays within himself.
That, however, was not the primary reason the Celtics traded Josh Richardson. It was about the money. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the trade.
The Boston Celtics are trading Josh Richardson to the San Antonio Spurs for Derrick White, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022
Officially, the Spurs get Richardson, Romeo Langford, and the Celtics’ 2022 first-round pick, which is top-four protected, so it almost certainly conveys this season. The Celtics get White.
Boston moved just under the luxury tax line earlier in the day, with the salary dump trade of P.J. Dozier and Bol Bol to Orlando. This trade moves them even further below the tax line, about $3 million. It’s not just the money saved that benefits teams, the way the system works is the money teams in the tax — Warriors, Nets, Lakers, etc. — pay out is divided among the teams not in the tax. There are no final numbers yet, but teams expect about a $10 million payout for being under the tax line. Boston just picked up a nice chunk of cash.
And White, who is solid. Don’t sleep on that.
The price for this was the Celtics’ first-round pick. While that is top-four protected, right now that pick would be 18th, so let’s say it will convey this season. The Spurs picked up a couple of first-rounders on deadline day, they also acquired the Raptors’ first-rounder helping them get under the tax line.