Celtics reportedly trade Georges Niang to Jazz, sign free-agent forward Chris Boucher
With that move, the Celtics opened up a roster spot and some financial space to add free-agent forward Chris Boucher, also according to Charnia. Just another busy day for Celtics president of basketball ops. Brad Stevens as he navigates his way through an interesting offseason of change in Boston.
Niang -- who was born in Lawrence and grew up in Methuen -- was acquired by the Celtics from the Hawks in late June in a salary dump that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. The Celtics also received a future second-round pick in the move, which shed Porzingis' $30 million salary off the Boston books.
Now Niang is a salary cap casualty himself, as he's reportedly been traded to the Jazz along with a pair of future second-round picks for rookie RJ Luis Jr., according to Charania. Niang played four seasons in Utah earlier in his career.
He was set to make $8.2 million in 2025, but the Celtics erased that from the books to help the franchise get further until the NBA's second tax apron. Boston recently waived G League MVP JD Davison to get back until the second apron, so dealing away Niang gave Stevens a little more flexibility to navigate the books.
With Jayson Tatum expected to miss most -- if not all -- of the 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles in the playoffs, the Celtics have made it a point to reset the books to avoid future roster-building penalties and a massive tax bill. The Niang trade could mean Boston hangs on to Sam Hauser or Anferenee Simons for the upcoming season.
The Celtics acquired Luis Jr. for Niang, who signed a two-way contract with the Jazz and likely spend his rookie season with the G League Maine Celtics. Luis Jr. went undrafted out of St. John's, where he played two seasons after he started his college career at UMass. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 14.1 points off 43.9 percent shooting and 5.6 rebounds per game over his three collegiate seasons.
The roster spot -- and some of the savings -- created by the Niang trade didn't last long, as Boston reportedly signed Boucher shortly after the swap.
The 32-year-old Boucher spent seven of his eight NBA seasons in Toronto, and won a championship with the Raptors in 2019. He is Toronto's all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and minutes off the bench.
Across 50 games last season, Boucher averaged 10.0 points off 49.2 percent shooting along with 4.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game.
With Tuesday's two transactions, the Celtics are about $7.8 million under the second apron and have one open roster spot.
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