With the Nuggets potentially exploring their options this offseason, the trade speculation is already off to a wild start. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon's names keep popping up in speculation, and this time, it's Gordon for a Colorado product by way of the Boston Celtics in a role player swap for Derrick White.
That's right. White, the CU alumni with roots in Parker, would be coming home in a straight-up swap that works on paper in the trade machine. Both AG and White make similar salaries, and White actually would be a small savings on the cap hit for the Nuggets.
The Celtics were also eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and they could be looking to shake things up after their own disappointing end to the season. But would either team even think about a trade like this?
This should be an experiment worth taking for the Nuggets
For the Nuggets, trading AG for White would seem to make sense as they retool around Nikola Jokic. Yes, AG is probably the Nuggets' best defender, but White's one of the best defenders in the entire NBA, and he's made three of the last four All-NBA First or Second Teams.
Injecting that level of defense into the backcourt next to Jamal Murray, or as a replacement for Murray if the Nuggets go next-level chaos and trade both stars, would be a massive upgrade over what we all saw in the first-round defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
White's the type of defender who can change the game without his on-the-ball pressure, too. He's great at rotating and helping, and he averaged a very solid 1.3 blocks per game, good for 15th in the league last year.
White's not quite the explosive offensive player that Gordon can be, but he still put up 16.5 points last season, which is just a bit more than Gordon at 16.2. But Gordon's the better shooter.
The Celtics probably say no
Gordon's injury history will be a major hurdle, and it may be too much in this one. White's durable, playing in 73-plus games each of the last five years. Gordon, on the other hand, only played in 36 this year and 51 last year. That alone would represent a gamble for the Celtics.
They're close enough in age that it isn't a factor, and similar enough on their contracts as well. On paper, it makes sense, but Gordon's injury history likely means a no from the C's unless they're in need of a culture shake-up. But the Nuggets should strongly consider the defensive upgrade if this idea presents itself.
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