The Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Jazz for rookie RJ Luis, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Utah is utilizing part of the $26.6MM trade exception created in last month’s three-team trade in which Utah dealt John Collins to the Clippers, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.
It’s another salary dump for the Celtics, allowing them to fall significantly below the second tax apron.
Niang was acquired by Boston from the Hawks in the three-team Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster this offseason. Niang has an expiring $8.2MM contract for next season.
He’s been on the move quite a bit this year. He began last season with Cleveland and played 51 games for the Cavaliers, all but one off the bench, before getting dealt to Atlanta in February. Niang appeared in 28 games with the Hawks, including two starts. Overall, he averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.5 minutes last season.
Niang will provide Utah with another floor stretching big off the bench. He’s a career 39.9 percent 3-point shooter.
It will be his second stint with the Jazz, whom he played from 2017-21. They’re looking at him as a rotation piece and to add a veteran presence to their young core, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets. The two sides have spoken, according to Jones, and Niang is happy and excited to be back in Utah.
Luis, an undrafted rookie out of St. John’s, was signed to a two-way contract. He’ll fill Boston’s open two-way spot, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. Boston reached an agreement with free agent forward Chris Boucher to take Niang’s spot on the 15-man roster.
According to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), the Celtics shed approximately $5oMM off their luxury tax bill with the Niang trade. They’re now just $1.7MM above the first apron and $9.4MM above the luxury tax line. They also created a $8.2MM trade exception.
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