Boston Celtics

White and Gobert's salaries match, making the path to a trade much easier for the Celtics.

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The Celtics have been one of the major players linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade talks, but it looks like they’ve got other plans on the horizon as well.

A trade for Antetokounmpo would almost certainly require Boston to trade away Jaylen Brown, as their salaries match. But ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reiterated that the Celtics’ chances of trading Brown this offseason are very low.

So, unless Boston can stumble into a trade for Antetokounmpo that doesn’t require them to give up Brown, it appears it’ll be looking into alternative ways to improve its front court.

One potential name to look out for is Rudy Gobert. And, according to Jake Fischer, the Celtics could pursue a deal for Gobert that would send Derrick White to Minnesota as the main returning piece.

White and Gobert have matching salaries, making a one-for-one swap possible between the two, though it’s unclear if either side would be looking for additional compensation in the deal.

“In reference to Minnesota’s interest in White, which The Athletic’s Sam Amick first reported Friday morning, trading him for Rudy Gobert would represent a clear salary match,” Fischer wrote. “Sources say that Boston, furthermore, has inquired about Gobert before … most recently at February’s trade deadline. Now I don’t think that the Wolves are actively shopping Gobert, either way, but Minnesota is said to be as exploratory and open-minded as Boston when it comes to shaking up the roster around the team’s clear alpha (Anthony Edwards).”

White has been a starting guard for the Celtics since they traded for him in the 2021-22 season, and was an integral part of their championship season. But in the playoffs last year, he struggled mightily with his jumpshot. Boston still has Payton Pritchard available to run the point if Boston needs him to, and plenty of lineup flexibility with Brown and Jayson Tatum being capable of playing multiple positions in the lineup.

The Celtics have also been linked to Trey Murphy in offseason trade rumors, along with Antetokounmpo. Brad Stevens told reporters in his end-of-season press conference that he’d do anything to improve the team this offseason, and based on the names Boston has been linked to, that has absolutely held true so far.

The Celtics are searching for an improvement at center, despite seeing a major improvement in Neemias Queta last season. He was plenty serviceable in the regular season, but foul trouble in the playoffs hurt Boston. Adding Gobert to the mix would give the Celtics plenty of lineup flexibility, as they could play Gobert and Queta together at power forward and center, or use Tatum at the four and bring Queta off the bench.

Either way, Gobert would seemingly be a major improvement to Boston’s lineup. He is on the older side as a center, but is a multi-time defensive player of the year that can add interior scoring and be a consistent veteran presence alongside Tatum and Brown.

Last time the Celtics made a splash move for a center, it was Kristaps Porzingis, who helped Boston win a championship. Gobert could follow suit.