The Golden State Warriors might have made an impressive start to this season, but perhaps that should only elevate the chances of a mid-season trade if they believe their only one move away from legitimate championship contention.
There were rumblings about the Warriors interest in Derrick White during the offseason, and now the franchise has been urged to trade for the veteran guard and reunite him with Boston Celtics championship teammate Al Horford.
Derrick White would be an ideal trade target for the Warriors
In an article looking at one trade target for every NBA team, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz has identified White as the ideal option for Golden State as they continue searching for a consistent backcourt teammate for Stephen Curry.
"White would also be the perfect backcourt partner for a 38-year-old Curry who probably isn't going to be giving All-Defensive efforts on a nightly basis at this stage of his career," Swartz wrote. "White is still one of the most efficient multi-positional defenders in the NBA and perhaps the best shot-blocking guard we've seen since Dwyane Wade."
White would certainly be a legitimate upgrade to what the Warriors have at the moment, with Brandin Podziemski losing his starting role on Friday amid what's been a dissapointing start to the season for the former 19th overall pick.
Moses Moody looked rusty in his return from a calf injury, while Buddy Hield remains a streaky shooter who's knocked down just 33.3% of his shots from beyond the arc to start the season. White would be an upgrade in all aspects -- shooting, defense and playmaking.
The 31-year-old has struggled with his efficiency in more of a primary role for the Celtics over their first two games, but he's still averaging 20.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while comitting just one total turnover thus far.
There's little doubt about White's potential fit and impact at the Warriors, yet trading for the 6'4" guard is perhaps more complicated than previously thought given the impressive form of young forward Jonathan Kuminga.
The 23-year-old would undoubtedly have to be included in a trade to reach White's $28.1 million salary for this season, something that owner Joe Lacob may be even more hesitant to tick off thanks to Kuminga's strong start.
There's also no guarantee that White will even become available despite some speculation during the summer, albeit the chances might increase if the Celtics continue to struggle following an 0-2 start to the season.