The Minnesota Timberwolves’ reported interest in Boston Celtics guard Derrick White may have gained an unexpected new dimension.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported late Friday in The Stein Line that the Celtics have inquired about Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in the past, most recently before February’s trade deadline.
The revelation came hours after The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that Minnesota has “strong interest” in White after its pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo cooled.
Fischer stressed that it would still be a surprise if Boston traded White, one of the franchise’s most indispensable players and a beloved figure inside the organization.
Still, one detail is difficult to ignore.
Gobert’s contract presents a relatively straightforward salary match for White should discussions ever move beyond the exploratory stage.
Neither team is actively shopping its player, according to Fischer. Yet both organizations are reportedly open-minded about reshaping their rosters around their respective franchise cornerstones.
Derrick White Fits What Timberwolves Need Around Anthony Edwards
Minnesota’s interest in White is easy to understand.
The veteran guard has become one of the NBA’s premier complementary players, capable of defending multiple positions, facilitating offense and thriving without dominating possessions.
White averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds across 77 regular-season games while adding 2.4 combined steals and blocks.
Even during Boston’s stunning first-round exit after blowing a 3-1 series lead to Philadelphia, White remained one of the Celtics’ most reliable performers.
He produced his best postseason outing in Game 7, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 45 minutes.
For Minnesota, White checks nearly every box.
His championship experience, perimeter defense and ability to play both on and off the ball would make him an ideal backcourt partner for Anthony Edwards while reducing some of the playmaking burden on the Timberwolves’ superstar guard.
Rudy Gobert’s Value Makes Trade Decision Complicated
GettyNikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets drives around Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter of a game in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Gobert is entering the second season of his three-year, $109.5 million extension, which runs through the 2027-28 campaign and carries an average annual salary of $36.5 million.
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks during the 2025-26 season while once again serving as the backbone of one of the NBA’s elite defenses.
His importance became especially apparent during Minnesota’s first-round series against Denver.
Gobert played a pivotal role in the Timberwolves’ 4-2 victory over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, anchoring the defense and helping Minnesota neutralize one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
The second round, however, highlighted the other side of the equation.
Against Victor Wembanyama and the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, Gobert struggled to keep pace with the versatile superstar. Wembanyama’s ability to operate from the perimeter and create off the dribble frequently pulled Gobert away from the basket and exposed some of the matchup challenges facing traditional centers in today’s NBA.
That contrast may help explain why Minnesota is reportedly willing to be exploratory and open-minded around Edwards.
White Could Accelerate Timberwolves’ Championship Timeline
White may not possess Antetokounmpo’s superstar pedigree, but he fits many of the qualities the Timberwolves appear to be seeking.
He is an elite defender, a proven secondary playmaker and a player with championship experience who can seamlessly complement a high-usage star.
The question is whether Minnesota would be willing to sacrifice the defensive anchor who helped eliminate Jokic and Denver only one round earlier.
For now, the idea remains hypothetical.
Yet Fischer’s report offers perhaps the clearest trade framework to emerge from Minnesota’s reported pursuit of White and underscores the difficult decisions facing a franchise determined to maximize Anthony Edwards’ championship window.
Timberwolves’ Derrick White Dream Gets New Trade Framework