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The Boston Celtics have traded Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for guard/forward RJ Luis Jr. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report.
Money is a key factor in the deal.
Utah had signed Luis Jr. to a two-way contract just a month ago. The Jazz are acquiring Niang with part of the $26.6 million trade exception they received in dealing away John Collins. Niang is entering the final year of his contract, which is worth $8.2 million.
For Boston, this trade reduces its tax bill from $73.1 million to $30.4 million. The team is now $10.2 million below the second apron and just $1.7 million over the first apron.
With the way things are trending, it’s likely the Celtics duck the first apron entirely by the trade deadline.
Utah is acquiring Georges Niang with part of the $26.6M John Collins Trade Exception.
Niang is on an expiring $8.2M contract.
Celtics tax bill drops from $73.1M to $30.4M.
They are now $10.2M below the 2nd apron and $1.7M over the 1st.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 5, 2025
Niang is a familiar face in Utah, having spent four of his first five NBA seasons with the Jazz. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 50th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
All About The Benjamins For The Celtics This Offseason
Boston has relentlessly pursued one sole objective since Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rupture, and that is to minimize its tax payments.
This is a team that knows it isn’t going to be in title contention next season. Competing at a high level will be sacrificed in order to minimize costs.
Over the course of this offseason, Boston has sliced its total salary and luxury tax payments from $540 million as of June 15 to approximately $240 million as of Aug. 5.
Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet have all made exits this summer.
There is certainly no path to a top-four seed in the East. It’s unlikely the Celtics will be able to compete against the likes of the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers either.
The Milwaukee Bucks should be better at the moment but it remains to be seen what happens with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
What is crystal clear is Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will have ample opportunity to put up career-best numbers.
