Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich Friday morning to discuss the team’s trade deadline moves. Listen above for the full interview.
The C’s made three deals total, two of which added new players to the roster. Stevens’ key move was the acquisition of point guard Derrick White from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, and a first-round pick.
Stevens described the White trade as a complementary move designed to get the most out of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, with the hope that White can contribute meaningful minutes in a number of ways on his own.
Derrick White #4 of the San Antonio Spurs in action against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on January 25, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
“Our moves [Thursday] were not without risk, were not without some cost,” Stevens said. “I think my biggest thing is, obviously, how do we accentuate our best players and bring in guys who can really play when it’s all on the line in those biggest moments?
“I think that having a chance to add a guy like Derrick is pretty unique. I mean, he’s just a guy that I think everybody in this basketball community really understands just how valuable he is. His willingness to do all of the little things, make the next right play, and really compete defensively, and [White] has the talent to do more than that, but again, the willingness to play a role in that and the savvy that he plays with should fit in really well with our group.”
The Celtics added another “new” player, in the form of a familiar face: big man Daniel Theis, who comes over from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Dennis Schröder. Stevens felt that the move, which came together at the last minute, illustrated the unpredictability of the trade deadline and the numerous conversations that take place over the course of the season.
“That’s what makes the deadline so fascinating, right? We didn’t think the Theis move was gonna happen,” Stevens said. “We had thought that, after we acquired Derrick, we might do one other small deal. But that thing came up late, but we had talked about Theis as a good fit for how we play for months. Sometimes, you just have to be ready for that.
“Time will tell if those moves were good or not. I don’t think doing something just for the sake of doing something is a good thing. We ended up trading some good prospects and players and picks. So, who knows, we’ll see.”
Reminder: listen to the podcast at the top for the full interview with Stevens on Toucher and Rich.
Recapping the Celtics' trio of moves at the 2022 NBA trade deadline
Danny Ainge had overseen almost two decades worth of trade deadlines as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations. Fans may have been unsure of what to expect as Brad Stevens manned the phones for the first time since being promoted to Ainge’s old job back in June.
What ensued was one of the wildest trade deadlines in recent memory in Boston sports. In total, the Celtics traded away seven players and a first-round pick, acquired two players and a second-round pick, and added a future first-round pick swap. Here’s a quick rundown of each of the Celtics’ three deals done throughout the day…
Trade 1
Jan 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens in the first quarter of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics get:
— Future 2nd-round pick
Magic get:
— F P.J. Dozier
— C Bol Bol
— Future 2nd-round pick
— Cash considerationsThe Celtics’ first move of the day wasn’t a major one, but it did help the team get under the luxury tax. Boston acquired P.J. Dozier and Bol Bol just a few weeks ago in a three team deal that saw them send forward Juancho Hernangomez and cash considerations to San Antonio.
Trade 2
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 23: Derrick White #4 of the San Antonio Spurs attempts a shot in front of Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center on December 23, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Celtics get:
— G Derrick White
Spurs get:
— G/F Josh Richardson
— G Romeo Langford
— 2022 1st-round pick (1-4 protected)A few hours later, the Celtics made their first player acquisition of the day, adding starting Spurs shooting guard Derrick White. White is expected to fill a similar role in Boston. His defensive prowess will give the Celtics a lockdown backcourt, with White playing next to Marcus Smart. Meanwhile, Richardson was part of the bench unit while Langford was struggling to find minutes in the rotation. This deal also includes a 2028 first-round pick swap, with Boston’s pick top-1 protected.
Trade 3
Dec 15, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Rockets center Daniel Theis (27) rebounds beside guard Josh Christopher (9) and forward Jae’Sean Tate (8) in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics get:
— C Daniel Theis
Rockets get:
— G Dennis Schröder
— F Bruno Fernando
— C Enes FreedomFor the second year in a row, the Celtics made a trade involving Daniel Theis just before the trade deadline hit. This time, the Celtics brought back Theis for a second stint, and moved point guard Dennis Schröder. Leading up to Thursday, reports had indicated Schröder – who is on an expiring contract – would be dealt at the deadline.
WATCH: @FelgerAndMazz react to the Celtics Trading Dennis Schroder for Daniel Theis pic.twitter.com/TO2hH5Pb2L
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.