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 an important factor in the deal.
Utah had Luis Jr. Signed only a month ago for a two -way contract. The Jazz acquires Niang with part of the $ 26.6 million trade exceptions that they received when removing John Collins. Niang starts in the last year of his contract, which is worth $ 8.2 million.
For Boston, this trade reduces its tax account from $ 73.1 million to $ 30.4 million. The team is now $ 10.2 million below the second apron and only $ 1.7 million compared to the first apron.
With the way things are trending, it is likely that the Celtics dives through the trade theadline the first apron.
Utah acquires Georges Niang with a part of the $ 26.6 million John Collins exception.
Niang has an expiring contract of $ 8.2 million.
The tax account of Celtics is falling from $ 73.1 million to $ 30.4 million.
They are now $ 10.2 million below 2nd apron and $ 1.7 million over the 1st.
– Bobby Marks (@Bobbymarks42) August 5, 2025
Niang is a familiar face in Utah and has spent four of his first five NBA seasons with jazz. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 50th Pick in the NBA design of 2016.
Everything about the Benjamins for the Celtics this season
Boston has ruthlessly pursued a sole goal since Jayson Tatum’s Achilles -fracture, and that is to minimize his tax payments.
This is a team that knows that the next season will not be in title entry. Competition at a high level will be sacrificed to minimize costs.
In the course of this season, Boston cut its total salary and luxury tax payments from $ 540 million as of 15 June to around $ 240 million from 5 August.
Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet made all excluded this summer.
There is certainly no path to a top-four seed in the east. It is unlikely that the Celtics can also compete against the will of the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers.
The Milwaukee Bucks should be better at the moment, but it is still to be seen what happens to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
What is crystal clear is that Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard have sufficient opportunity to set up career-best songs.
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