Celtics have the Mavericks' 'dream' trade target Dallas can't afford to ignore

The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics are quite familiar with one another. In the 2024 NBA Finals, the Celtics defeated the Mavericks in five games to win their 18th NBA Finals in franchise history.

Both teams were unable to return to the NBA Finals in 2025. While the Celtics were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Mavericks were eliminated in the Play-In Tournament by the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Mavericks and Celtics do face some uncertainty in 2025. Despite winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the Mavericks have to ensure they re-sign Kyrie Irving while also finding his replacement. For the Celtics, they have a cap concern along with Jayson Tatum having a torn Achilles. However, there's one player the Celtics have that can be a trade target dream for the Mavericks this offseason.

Derrick White would be a monster in Dallas if they trade for him

On May 27, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report wrote an article titled "3 Dream Targets for Every NBA Team This Summer." In Swartz's article, one of the three players he mentioned to be a dream target for the Mavericks is Boston's Derrick White.

Swartz also named Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns and Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers as the other two dream targets, but White would be a solid target for the Mavericks to get, and he is a much better option than Simons and Durant if they can somehow get their hands on him.

A key reason why Swartz mentioned the 30-year-old's name was likely because of Irving.

Even though all signs are pointing to Irving returning to Dallas, even if he opts out of his player option and chases a new contract, there is a chance he could decide to leave in free agency or chase a sign-and-trade to go elsewhere (even though that is extremely unlikely). Along with that, even if Irving does opt out of his contract and re-sign in Dallas, the Mavericks will have to wait for Irving to be fully healthy to return to the lineup, which will likely be at some point in 2026.

That is where White can come into play.

Since being traded over to the Celtics in 2022, White has taken a tremendous leap in his career and has become invaluable for Boston. White helped the Celtics reach the Conference Finals from 2022-2024, two NBA Finals berths in 2022 and 2024, and obviously win the 2024 NBA Finals over Dallas.

White has made his presence known defensively as a Celtic. In the 2022-23 season and 2023-24 season, White was on the All-Defensive Second Team, proving that he is one of the most feared defensive-minded guards in the NBA. He takes pride in shutting down the best players in the NBA, and with Nico Harrison's obsession with defense, White would fit right in.

A defense-first guard like White can help the Mavericks become an even stronger defense than they were last season, especially with Cooper Flagg coming in. With players like Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II, the defense down low will be unbelievably strong. However, excellent guard defensive help is just as important, and that's where White can help out. White has averaged one block per game as a guard in each of the past two seasons, showing his versatility and knack for finding the ball.

Along with solid defense, White is also an underrated scorer. White's scoring per game has improved over the past two seasons in Boston. In the 2024-25 season, White averaged a career-high 16.2 points per game, showcasing his ability to get to the rim, knock down threes at a high clip, and keep the defense on their toes with his floater.

White is also a solid playmaker, as he averaged 4.8 assists per game for Boston last season. He can be a trusted second ball handler when needed, and he typically makes the right pass when driving to the rim or operating out of the pick and roll.

White has started in 149 games over the past two seasons for the Celtics, showing that he is a healthy everyday player in the lineup. Dallas needs this type of player, as they were battered with injuries all of last season and need reliable players who can stay healthy for the duration of the season.

While Boston could face uncertainty next season, Dallas can make a bold statement to improve its defense by going after White. He would be someone who would be an outstanding fit next to Irving once he returns from injury, and the Mavericks' defense would be one of the scariest units in the NBA if they somehow pulled this off.