The Boston Celtics are trading forward Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The Celtics sent two second-round picks alongside Niang and received rookie guard RJ Luis Jr. in return, per Charania.
Boston then signed former Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher to a one-year, $3.3 million deal, his agent Sam Permut told Charania.
The Jazz can use the trade exception earned by sending John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers to absorb Niang’s contract, Charania reported.
Niang is set to earn $8.2 million next season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026, per Spotrac.
The Celtics originally acquired Niang as part of the return from the three-team Kristaps Porziņģis deal in June.
The franchise’s tax bill dropped from $73.1 million to $30.4 million after moving on from him, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The franchise sits just over $4 million above the first apron and $7.8 million under the second apron after training Niang and adding Boucher, according to CapSheets.
Boston Celtics general manager Brad Stevens said earlier this offseason that getting below the second apron was the reason the franchise traded both Jrue Holiday and Porziņģis earlier this offseason.
The Celtics have accordingly shaved off more than $300 million in payroll and luxury tax costs this offseason, per Marks.
Luis signed a two-way contract in July reportedly spanning two years. He will fill in the Celtics’ last remaining two-way spot alongside Miles Norris and Max Shulga, Smith noted.
NBA insider Jake Fischer, meanwhile, reported back in January 2024 that Boucher was someone the Celtics had liked “for a while.”
Boucher will now join the Celtics after making 50 appearances off the bench for the Raptors last season. The 32-year-old averaged 10.0 points per game in just 17.2 minutes per night on 49.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.3 percent shooting from deep.
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