The Boston Celtics have traded forward Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for rookie RJ Luis Jr., according to Shams Charania.
The deal sends Niang back to the franchise where he spent the first four seasons of his NBA career, including his breakout run as a reliable three-point shooter from 2018 to 2021.
Niang’s $8.7 million salary for the 2025–26 season will now be absorbed into the Jazz’s $23.4 million trade exception created from the John Collins deal earlier this summer.
Boston, meanwhile, gains salary cap relief and additional flexibility under the second apron, a key consideration as the franchise looks to maintain a championship-contending roster within the constraints of the new collective bargaining agreement.
In 79 games last season between Cleveland and Atlanta, the veteran forward averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 40.1 percent from three. He played a career-high 82 games in 2023–24 and has been a reliable floor-spacer across multiple playoff runs.
The 32-year-old’s return to Utah comes with the Jazz continuing to retool their rotation around a developing young core and increased financial flexibility.
Niang, a career 39.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc, played five playoff games with the Jazz in 2019 and averaged 8.3 points in the 2020 postseason.
Boston’s acquisition, RJ Luis Jr., went undrafted out of St. John’s in June and signed a two-way contract with the Jazz shortly after. The 6-foot-6 wing posted 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a senior last season while improving his three-point shooting to 33.6 percent.
Luis offers the Celtics a low-cost developmental piece with upside on the wing. He will likely compete for a role on Boston’s G League affiliate while maintaining flexibility under the new collective bargaining agreement’s stricter financial rules.
