A botched 2020 trade would have changed the Boston Celtics' entire landscape
By Matt John
No Gordon Hayward TPE means no Derrick White by proxy
The one saving grace from the Hayward fallout is the massive TPE they acquired for him. They utilized the TPE in full by getting Evan Fournier and Josh Richardson. Fournier was more or less a bust, but Richardson was a different story.
While Richardson was a solid acquisition for the Celtics—which isn't typical when it comes to players acquired via the TPE—his contract was used to acquire White at the trade deadline. White's ascension since joining Boston has also been fun to watch. Going from a deer in the headlights to gaining All-Star consideration in three years' time is no easy feat.
If the Celtics had accepted the Turner trade, there would not have been a path for them to get White. Richardson's deal gave them the salary fodder to match for White's contract. It's very possible they could have used another contract or two to get White, but Richardson's deal made it possible.