Just one month after being traded to his hometown team, Georges Niang is on the move again.
The Celtics reached an agreement Tuesday to ship the Massachusetts native to Utah, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Jazz also will receive two future second-round draft picks from the Celtics, with undrafted rookie wing RJ Luis Jr. going back to Boston in return.
The move is a pure salary dump for the Celtics, who have made cost-cutting an offseason priority as they look to avoid second-apron luxury tax penalties and reset their roster in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s season-ending Achilles injury. The Jazz will absorb Niang’s $8.2 million expiring contract, and Boston’s tax bill will drop from $73.1 million to $30.4 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Niang, who was born in Lawrence and raised in Methuen, joined the Celtics in early July as part of the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. The 32-year-old journeyman projected as a rotation player for Boston if he stuck around. Instead, Niang will begin his second stint with Utah, for whom he played from 2018 to 2021.
The Jazz’s top executives (CEO Danny Ainge and first-year general manager Austin Ainge) and head coach (Will Hardy) all are Celtics alumni.
Luis signed a two-way contract with Utah last month. The 22-year-old wing played one season at UMass and two at St. John’s, averaging 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists for the Red Storm last season.
Originally Published: August 5, 2025 at 4:16 PM EDT