The Boston Celtics are already doing their work on a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo-led roster. According to a recent trade rumor floated by NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Celtics could be long to acquire a reliable do-it-all center from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Derrick White.
Sidery reported on Monday that the Celtics are in preliminary talks on a trade for Timberwolves’ Naz Reid, who is equipped to shoot from the 3-point range and put the ball on the floor, an archetype that suits well alongside Giannis.
“A potential swap of Derrick White for Naz Reid and draft capital is picking up some steam behind the scenes,” Sidery wrote. “If the Celtics acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, Reid would be a fantastic stretch five fit alongside him.”
If the Celtics acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, Reid would be a fantastic stretch five fit alongside him.
The Possibility Of A White-Reid Swap Relies On The Giannis Trade
GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 13: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks passes the ball as he is pressured by Julius Randle #30 and Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on January 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The deal could be done as a straight-up swap, as they both have nearly identical salaries for next season.
However, the motivation for the deal would hinge on whether the Celtics land Giannis in a blockbuster trade that could likely include Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics have been among the top two teams negotiating with the Milwaukee Bucks about a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. The other team is the Miami Heat.
In the 2025-2026 NBA season, White averaged 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game with the Celtics, where he shot 32.7% from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, Reid averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with the Timberwolves, while shooting 36.2% from the 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game.
White won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024, before continuing to be one of the team’s key cogs in their succeeding playoff runs.
Reid also played a big role in the Timberwolves’ playoff runs in the past three years, where they reached back-to-back Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025.
If the Celtics get Giannis from the Bucks, the Celtics could reshape the roster to have more shooters and on-ball creators that can thrive in space.
Timberwolves The Most Aggressive To Get Derrick White
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics looks on prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been most aggressive in getting Derrick White in the offseason, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski.
White could finally provide the Timberwolves with a proven point guard alongside Anthony Edwards. White could also form a superb two-way backcourt alongside Edwards, who has played with veteran Mike Conley for almost the entirety of his career in Minnesota.
“Minnesota has been most aggressive in pursuing White, the Celtics’ defensive mastermind who has the experience and the savvy to help Edwards and the Wolves break through in the West. White turns 32 next month and saw his three-point shooting percentage drop considerably this season, but so far, the Celtics have rebuffed the Wolves’ advances,” Krawczynski reported.
Meanwhile, earlier reports also said that the Celtics are interested in Rudy Gobert, but that could change if they land Giannis in the next few hours ahead of the NBA Draft.
Boston Celtics Already Shaping Giannis Era Roster With Potential Derrick White Trade