US media: Rockets and Celtics discuss 3-for-1 deal

The Rockets are not impeccable after strengthening their lineup, and the strength of the point guard position is still worrying. VanVleet's shooting percentage is showing a downward trend year by year. He can only rely on his hard defense and the experience accumulated over multiple seasons to make up for the shortcomings in the offensive end. As he grows older, his physical function will inevitably decline. Van Jordan's choice to cut his salary significantly was not due to his love for the Rockets, and it is difficult for him to receive the same level of treatment in other teams. At this stage, Van Vleet is indeed the most suitable starting point guard for the Rockets, but when the Rockets' lineup structure changes drastically and each player needs to find his position again, it is inevitable that someone will fall behind and become a victim of head coach Uduka's reshaping the lineup.

Recently, the US media "NBA Analysis Network" suggested that once Van Vleet's performance is not satisfactory in the early 25-26 season, the Rockets management should decisively pursue Celtics champion defender Derek White. Tatum was reimbursed due to injury, and the Celtics had lost hope of winning the championship, so general manager Stevens sent away two main players, Ju Holiday and Porzingis. If the price is reasonable, Derek White is not untradeable. The media provided a 4-for-1 trading offer to the Rockets and Celtics. If the negotiations go smoothly, Van Jordan and White are expected to exchange their bosses. The specific trading plan is: the Rockets send Fred Van Vleet + the 2027 Suns first round pick + the 2029 Kings second round pick + the 2030 Rockets second round pick to get Derek White from the Celtics.

Derek White is 31 years old, 1.93 meters tall, 2.02 meters in wingspan, and weighs 86 kilograms. He plays as a double-season guard on the field. He played for the Celtics in 76 regular season games last season, and averages 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, and has a three-point shooting percentage of 38.4%. As a backcourt player, his most unusual thing is that his blocking ability is better than many inside players, which also helped him to be selected into the league's best defensive player second team twice. In addition, White has strong organizational sequel ability, mid-range shooting ability, three-point threat, skilled ball-handling skills, good at creating fouls and scoring. His disadvantage is that as a person who is ready to fight, he does not have much potential to tap. Compared with VanVleet, Derek White is not at all inferior in defense, and his rebounding and blocking abilities are even stronger. On the offensive end, he has higher shooting stability and richer scoring methods. White's joining can share the offensive pressure for Durant, while Amen Thompson will undertake more organizational tandem tasks. In addition, Shepard's playing style is closer to White, who can learn more from the latter.

Celtics general manager Stevens saves expenses. Although he lost Tatum in the regular season, with Jaylen Brown's star role and current lineup strength, he is still likely to successfully enter the playoffs. When the Rabbits return with full blood in the playoffs, the Celtics will not be afraid of any team player. But after weighing the pros and cons, Stevens chose to save money and avoid touching the second rich line, which was mainly due to his panic about uncertainty in the championship. VanVleet's overall strength is not bad, and he also has experience in winning the championship. His annual salary is cheaper, which is conducive to the Celtics' continued reduction in spending.