Celtics Make Trade, Send $25.5 Million Forward to West Squad

Mar 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Georges Niang (20) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics are trading forward Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr.

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The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr., sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/l7h0cGobfU

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 5, 2025

According to Charania, Niang's salary will go into the massive John Collins trade exception. This move now allows the Celtics to have more salary relief below the second apron.

That was the mission for the Celtics entering this season, and they have seemed to complete it.

Niang will head West after spending less than two months in Beantown. The 32-year-old Massachusetts native was traded to Boston a few days after the end of the 2024-25 season.

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He and a future second-round pick were traded to the Celtics in a three-team trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, and Terance Mann and the draft rights to Drake Powell to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Jazz will be Niang's fourth team in the past calendar year. He started the 2024-25 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but was traded to the Hawks prior to the trade deadline.

The Hawks then traded the veteran forward to the Celtics and he will now head to Utah.

The Celtics will get back 22-year-old rookie Luis Jr. Luis went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft. He played at St. John's for the last two seasons of his collegiate career.

In his final season in St. John's, he was elite, averaging 18.2 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc in 35 games and 31.8 minutes of action.

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