The San Antonio Spurs have a lot of difficult decisions to make, one being whether to trade either Derrick White or Dejounte Murray? In the scenario they choose to move the former, they should have a handful of trade suitors.
White is more of a combo guard than a true point guard or shooting guard. He’s a jolt scorer who has been a consistent source of offense for the Spurs while facilitating, hitting the boards and defending at a respectable rate. The 27-year-old White can help reshape an NBA offense.
Here are three ideal trade destinations for Derrick White.
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3. Derrick White retools the Atlanta Hawks
- Hawks get: Derrick White and Devin Vassell
- Spurs get: John Collins
The Hawks have a deeply talented team, but they still haven’t turned the corner on what has been a disappointing season. Last month, they traded Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks for Kevin Knox and a first-rounder. This time around, they make a trade to retool their roster in the form of sending Collins to the Spurs for White and Vassell.
This trade gives the Hawks more youthful — and less expensive — depth. White would play the off-guard adjacent to Trae Young. The former is a versatile player. While someone who puts the ball on the floor, White is capable of being a ball-handler/floor general in the halfcourt, too. He can play a high-minute role as either the Hawks’ starting shooting guard or sixth man.
When Young is off the floor, White can be head coach Nate McMillan’s point guard. Meanwhile, Vassell is a compelling second-year player. The Florida State product is a shooting scorer who holds his own on the other end of the floor. Vassell essentially replaces Reddish from a skill set perspective.
- Derrick White stats (2021-22): 14.4 points and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 42.5/31.2/87.2
Atlanta leaves this trade a guard-oriented team (they will also still have Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic) while making Onyeka Okongwu their full-time power forward. As for the Spurs, Collins is an offensive difference-maker near the basket who fits in well with Murray and the team’s bevy of young wings.
All that said, the Hawks may prefer to not alter their roster to this degree in the middle of the regular season.
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2. Derrick White reworks the Washington Wizards’ backcourt
- Wizards get: Derrick White
- Spurs get: Rui Hachimura and Montrezl Harrell
Know what the future holds for the Wizards? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. One way or another, changes are in store for Washington over the next six months, and White fits whatever direction those transactions lead them.
Let’s say Bradley Beal re-ups with the Wizards this offseason: White adds a new dimension to their offense. White is an abrupt scorer and sly passer. How about White and Beal share the ball-handling duties? Both players can facilitate for their teammates and are adept at getting points based primarily on an ability to get inside off the dribble.
In the scenario Beal is elsewhere next season, White can be part of the Wizards’ rebuild. He’d be one of the veteran pieces on a presumably young team and have the chance to be their leading scorer, too, which is something he hasn’t been with the Spurs. A would-be, productive guard in his prime on a reasonable contract isn’t too shabby.
- Derrick White contract per Spotrac: first season of a four-year, $70 million deal
Washington can send San Antonio Hachimura, who gives them a capable frontcourt scorer, and Harrell, who they can test out in their system before the big man hits the open market. The Wizards have the frontcourt depth to move on from Hachimura and Harrell (e.g. Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija and Corey Kipsert).
The factor that could stop this trade from taking place, though, is the Wizards preferring to acquire a star to pair with Beal, as opposed to making a move to balance out their rotation.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NBA Playoff and championship predictions
1. Derrick White gives the Detroit Pistons a definitive player
- Pistons get: Derrick White
- Spurs get: Hamidou Diallo, Trey Lyles and Cory Joseph
Yes, the Pistons are going to have a considerable chance of winning the NBA lottery, and they may trade forward Jerami Grant. At the same time, they need multiple players to build around. White is a prospect worth experimenting with for their sake.
Cade Cunningham is having a plausible rookie season. Saddiq Bey is making strides. Isaiah Stewart is a respectable interior player. This isn’t enough. White could be another piece to the puzzle. Serving as head coach Dwane Casey’s shooting guard, White adds a “veteran” scoring complement to an overall raw scoring attack. He helps take some attention off Cunningham through his aggressive scoring tendencies. Furthermore, it helps stretch the floor a bit for Bey and others to get clean looks from the perimeter.
The Pistons have a lacking scoring attack across the board whether it be statistically, their balance of youth and veterans or effectiveness in general; they’re 29th in the NBA in points, field goal percentage and three-point shooting percentage, which is worrisome for a rebuilding team.
The 2022 NBA Draft will be frontcourt-heavy near the top (Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren), and the Pistons are a safe bet to take a player who gets points near the basket. That means acquiring White doesn’t hinder their options in that regard. Plus, White could be the Pistons’ sixth man if they do select a guard.
Detroit can send San Antonio Diallo, who has had his moments in the scoring department, Lyles, who has come into his own as a steady, inside player, and Joseph, who could be rerouted. The individuals who the Pistons send to the Spurs likely aren’t long-term pieces to the puzzle, help fill out their roster and create cap space.