Report: Celtics swap Georges Niang to Jazz; sign Chris Boucher
The Boston Celtics traded forward Georges Niang and two second-round draft picks to the Utah Jazz to acquire rookie forward RJ Luis Jr., ESPN reported Tuesday.
In addition to helping Boston with luxury tax issues, the trade clears a roster spot for Boston because Luis is on a two-way contract. The Celtics are using that spot to sign forward Chris Boucher to a one-year, $3.3 million contract, Boucher's agent told ESPN.
Niang, 32, was sent from the Atlanta Hawks to Boston in a three-team trade last month, but the Massachusetts native will not play a game for the Celtics.
Niang averaged a career-best 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season across 79 games split between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks. He has posted 7.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 39.9 percent from 3-point range across 544 career games (32 starts) for five teams.
Niang spent four seasons for the Jazz (2017-21) as a reserve forward.
In Luis, the Celtics acquired a 22-year-old swingman who went undrafted in June and missed Summer League with a knee injury. Luis played one season at UMass and transferred to St. John's, where he was voted the Big East Player of the Year and an Associated Press second-team All-American.
Boucher, 32, appeared in 50 games off the bench for the Toronto Raptors last season and put up 10 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 17.2 minutes per game. He has averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds across 407 career games, 406 with Toronto and one with Golden State.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada News.Net
an hour ago
- Canada News.Net
Karen Khachanov upsets top seed Alexander Zverev in Toronto semis
(Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images) One point away from defeat, 11th-seeded Karen Khachanov escaped to defeat top-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday in the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto. The result is arguably the biggest for the 29-year-old Russian in nearly seven years. Khachanov is through to the final of an ATP Masters 1000 event for just the second time, following his championship at the Paris Masters in 2018. Four other times he was a Masters 1000 semifinalist, including at the Canadian event in 2018 and 2019. His best results at Grand Slam tournaments were semifinals losses at the 2022 U.S. Open and the 2023 Australian Open. Khachanov will oppose a U.S. player in the championship match. Second-seeded Taylor Fritz and fourth-seeded Ben Shelton squared off in the second semifinal late Wednesday night. Zverev had a match point at 5-6 on Khachanov's serve in the third set, but the German came up short in a bid to reach his first Masters 1000 final of the year. Zverev won Masters 1000 tournaments in Rome and Paris in 2024. Down 3-1 in the third-set tiebreaker, Khachanov won the next five points, then sealed the victory on his second match point. 'I had to dig deep and lift my level,' Khachanov said. 'It was a very demanding, very mental, very physical match. So I'm very happy to get the win after losing some easy ones to him in recent years. 'Today was a real close one. I was match point down. If the ball touches the net and drops over, we wouldn't be talking now.' The match stats weren't impressive, as both players had more unforced errors (44 for Zverev, 34 for Khachanov) than winners (36 for Zverev, 29 for Khachanov). Khachanov owns two wins in three career matches against Fritz, though the American won their most recent (and most important) contest, prevailing in four sets in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last month. Shelton beat Khachanov in their lone matchup, during the third round at Indian Wells, Calif., this spring.
Canada News.Net
9 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Whitecaps sign Bayern Munich icon Thomas Muller
(Photo credit: Hannah Mckay-Reuters via Imagn Images) Thomas Muller signed a contract on Wednesday that will keep the former Bayern Munich star with the Vancouver Whitecaps through the 2026 season. Muller, 35, will play under a standard deal through the remainder of this season and transition to a designated player slot in 2026. The Whitecaps acquired his discovery rights from FC Cincinnati for up to $400,000 in general allocation money ($300,000 guaranteed in 2025-26 and $100,000 conditional in 2026). 'Thomas is a world-class player -- the ultimate Raumdeuter 'interpreter of space' -- known for his elite chance creation, unmatched spatial awareness, and relentless off-the-ball movement,' Whitecaps technical director Axel Schuster said in a statement. 'He not only brings a winning pedigree and exceptional football intelligence, but also a tireless work ethic that will elevate the entire team. Thomas is a natural leader whose passion for the game is infectious. This is a statement signing by our club and our ownership -- a transformative moment for our club and our city. We are proud to welcome Thomas to Vancouver.' Muller played 17 seasons for Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga. He recorded 250 goals and 238 assists in 756 career matches across all competitions while winning 33 titles. The attacking midfielder and forward also notched 45 goals and 131 caps for Germany, highlighted by a FIFA World Cup championship in 2014. 'I'm looking forward to coming to Vancouver to help this team win a championship,' Muller said in a statement. 'I've heard great things about the city, but first and foremost I'm coming to win. I've had great conversations with Axel Schuster and Jesper Sorensen, and now I can't wait to play in front of the supporters and to see all of the fans come out to BC Place as we head towards the playoffs.'
Canada News.Net
9 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Elina Svitolina slams bettors for 'shameful' abuse after loss
(Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images) Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina lashed out on Instagram to detail the online abuse she received -- including death threats and those celebrating Russia killing her countrymen -- from frustrated gamblers following a recent loss. The 10th-seeded Svitolina dropped a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Naomi Osaka on Tuesday at the Canadian Open in Montreal. Svitolina, 30, posted messages of threats she received and racial slurs aimed at her husband, fellow tennis star Gael Monfils, who is Black. She also included a message that said it hoped Russia 'kills all you (expletive) Ukrainians' as a war continues in her home country. 'To all the bettors: I'm a mom before I'm an athlete,' Svitolina wrote on Instagram. 'The way you talk to women -- to mothers -- is SHAMEFUL. If your moms saw your messages, they'd be disgusted.'
