Another plan to replace White, VanVleet + Sheppard + two first-round chips, the Nets third party

The Rockets have recently been rumored to be involved with Celtics guard Derrick White. The well-known American media BleacherReport revealed a three-party trade plan, believing that the Rockets may use this to poach White. In this deal, VanVleet, Sheppard and two first-rounders are the bargaining chips that the Rockets want to send, and the Nets serve as the third party of this deal. The following is the media's analysis -

The Rockets have championship ambitions and have introduced former MVP Durant during the offseason. Unfortunately, the team's veteran point guard VanVleet is likely to be reimbursed for the season due to a knee injury.

The Rockets hope to make Amen Thompson a guest starting point guard, but so far, the team's offensive performance is not stable. If they want to compete at the highest level, Houston may need to make a clear upgrade to its roster.

Meanwhile, the Celtics are in a period of transition - Tatum is expected to miss the entire season with an Achilles injury. The Celtics are motivated to get rid of luxury tax pressure, and Derrick White's high salary may become a "dispensable item" for the team.

Based on the remaining salary space of the Nets, a three-party trade plan is proposed below: it can not only meet the Rockets' most urgent needs, but also bring young players or draft picks to the Celtics and Nets in return.

Specific transaction plan -

The Rockets acquire:

Derek White (from the Celtics)

Haywood Highsmith (from the Nets)

$5 million trade exception (from Reed Shepard's contract)

Celtics receive:

Reed Shepard (from Rockets)

Jaylen Wilson (from Nets)

2029 2027 first-round pick (from Rockets)

$28.1 million trade exception (from Derrick White's contract)

Nets receive:

Fred VanVleet (from Rockets)

2027 first-round pick Pick (from Rockets)

Why the Rockets were willing to do this trade

Before the season started, the Rockets were in no rush to fill VanVleet's vacancy with the limited available players (the best option at the time was Keon Ellis). Amen Thompson is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA, but expecting him to serve as the Rockets' core offensive initiator against a playoff-level defense is obviously too much pressure. Durant and Shen Jing are extremely capable individually, but a more experienced point guard like White may be able to make the Rockets one of the top teams.

White has championship experience, is capable of playing two guard positions, has stable shooting and excellent defense. Despite his high salary, the Rockets can still control the salary below the first luxury tax line this season, and are expected to control the team's salary within the expected second luxury tax line when negotiating a contract extension with Eason (restricted free agent) this summer.

The cost of this deal is to send away Sheppard (a rookie who needs more time and a more important role to steadily develop), and two future first-round picks-these two picks are the Rockets' second-highest picks in the 2027 and 2029 drafts respectively.

Highsmith is currently out due to a knee injury (and may not return until mid-December), but after recovering from the injury, he will add another tall wing defender with playoff experience (formerly for the Heat) to the Rockets.

The starting lineup composed of Jabari Smith Jr., Durant, Shen Jing, Thompson and White is expected to become one of the best starting lineups in the league.

Why the Celtics are willing to make this deal

Celtics fans have just accepted the fact that the team is "softly rotten". Tatum's injuries, huge repeated luxury taxes and luxury tax line fines, these real competitive and financial pressures, forced the team to trade away core championship members such as Jrue Holiday and Porzingis.

Even with significant salary cuts, the Celtics' current salary is still about $12 million above the luxury tax line. The league's duplicative luxury tax has been doubled - teams will have to pay a $2 penalty for every $1 over the tax line. In a season where the team's competitiveness is declining and there is no clear playoff goal, now is the best time to reduce salary below the luxury tax line.

White is 31 years old, and the Celtics take this opportunity to rejuvenate the back line. Shepard ranks as one of the most promising rookies in the 2024 NBA official website general manager survey. The Celtics have the conditions to allow him to gradually grow in the game, but the Rockets, who are aiming to compete for the championship, cannot provide such an environment.

In addition, the Celtics can also get Wilson from the Nets and a first-round pick from the Rockets. The team's salary will drop from approximately US$200 million to US$184.7 million, which can reduce luxury tax expenses by approximately US$39.5 million. Teams with salaries below the luxury tax line can also receive subsidies from the league, and the Celtics are expected to receive a bonus of $12 million. At the same time, the Green Army will also receive a considerable trade exception to help adjust the lineup next season.

Why the Nets are willing to do this deal

The Nets are the only team to help other teams with salary space this summer (and charge "fees"). The Grizzlies and Bucks previously chose to lower their salaries below the luxury tax line to re-sign Jaren Jackson Jr. and Myles Turner. The Nets make profits by helping other teams handle contracts (such as Terrence Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Kobe Bafkin, Highsmith), and the main form of return is draft picks.

This pattern will continue: the Nets can trade Highsmith to the Rockets to free up enough space to accept VanVleet's contract. The Nets requested the Rockets' first-round pick because the second year of VanVleet's contract (2026-27 season) will take up the team's salary space..

Once VanVleet recovers from injury, the Nets can either use him as a veteran mentor to guide rookie point guards such as Yegor Deming and Nolan Traore, or they can later trade him to a playoff team in need of a leader. The Nets' primary goal is to use the team's salary flexibility in exchange for a first-round pick.