Boston Celtics Shake Up Roster: Surprising Niang Trade and Bold Chris Boucher Signing Unveiled

Boston’s front office just pulled a savvy move that’s equal parts savvy financial maneuver and strategic roster upgrade. By shipping out Georges Niang alongside a couple of second-round picks to Utah, the Celtics have not only liberated more than million in combined salary and luxury tax savings but also opened the door to reinvest in fresh talent — namely, RJ Luis Jr., who’ll slide into their two-way contract spot. The Jazz, in turn, snag two future picks and welcome back Niang to the squad he knows well, using a neat trade exception for the coup. What’s truly intriguing here is Boston’s quick pivot to snag Chris Boucher on a veteran minimum deal, a savvy add that bolsters their frontcourt depth where they’ve been lean. Boucher’s ability to stretch the floor — he knocked down over 36% from deep last season — makes him a valuable asset, especially given his connection with Payton Pritchard going back to their Oregon days. This isn’t just a simple salary dump; it’s a calculated reshuffle designed to keep Boston competitive while staying shrewd with their cap space. Meanwhile, keep an eye on Niang — “The Minivan” — who’s likely a prime candidate for a midseason trade. Trust me, this little chess match in NBA front offices is where the offseason excitement quietly brews.
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Niang, who is on an expiring .2 million contract, averaged 9.9 points a game last season between Cleveland and Atlanta, averaging 21 minutes a night off the bench (Niang ended up in Boston as part of the Kristap Porzingis to the Hawks trade). “The Minivan” is the kind of reliable veteran stretch four a playoff team likely will want to add to the roster, so look for the Jazz to flip him somewhere before the trade deadline.
Then the Celtics used that freed-up cap space to sign veteran big man Chris Boucher for the veteran minimum, a story also broken by ESPN’s Charania. This was an upgrade for Boston — Boucher was one of the best free agents still available. He is a veteran, rotation-level stretch four who averaged 10 points and 4.5 rebounds a game last season for Toronto, while shooting 36.3% on nearly four 3-pointers a game. On a Boston team that is a little thin across the front line, Boucher becomes a valuable player for them. Also, Boucher and Payton Pritchard were teammates for a season at Oregon.This is a nice bit of work by the Boston Celtics to upgrade while saving money, and the Jazz get a little bonus for helping out.First, the Celtics are trading veteran Georges Niang and two second-round picks as a sweetener to the Utah Jazz for RJ Luis Jr., a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. This was a salary dump move by the Celtics that gives them more room below the second apron of the luxury tax and saves them more than million in salary and tax (due to the repeater tax), and it sends Niang back to the team he played four seasons with from 2018 through 2021. Luis Jr. is on a two-way contract and will fill the Celtics’ final open two-way slot. Last season, he played at St. John’s, where he averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Utah gets two second-round picks and brings in Niang using the John Collins trade exception they had. Niang is an expiring .