Celtics deal hometown forward in trade for rookie prospect

The Boston Celtics have been among the NBA's busiest teams this offseason. They have already traded several players from their 2024 championship run, including Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

Today, they moved a player who hadn't played a single game in a Celtics uniform.

Salary cap space has been the main priority for general manager Brad Stevens and the Celtics. The team is looking to avoid the NBA's second apron and be able to continue making moves via trade and free agency.

Boston was able to make the necessary steps in doing so on Tuesday, after a trade was agreed upon between the Celtics and the Utah Jazz. 

"The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr.," Senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Tuesday.

The Celtics traded Massachusetts native Georges Niang and the $8.2 million he is owed in the 2025-26 season. Instead, they will have RJ Luis Jr., who will be playing on a two-way contract for Boston moving forward.

Niang, 32, is entering the later stages of his career, and the Celtics flipped the veteran, along with two second-round picks, for 22-year-old prospect Luis Jr.

RJ Luis Jr. was projected to be a first-round pick at the end of his final season under head coach Rick Pitino, but an underwhelming March Madness performance resulted in him dropping to the second round in June's draft.

The St. John's and UMass alum, listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, averaged 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals over 35 games in his junior season.

However, in St. John's upset loss to Arkansas in the Round of 32, he clashed with coach Pitino after shooting 3-for-17 from the field, finishing with just nine points and seven rebounds.