Who Could Celtics Trade Next Following Georges Niang Deal?

Forward Georges Niang has been well-traveled this offseason.

The 6-foot-7 vet, 32, was first shipped off to the Boston Celtics along with a future second-round draft pick as compensation for former starting Boston center Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team deal with the Brooklyn Nets.

More news: What Does Celtics Rotation Look Like Following Chris Boucher Signing? On Tuesday, it broke that Niang and a pair of future second rounders were being rerouted to the Utah Jazz in exchange for rookie two-way player Reggie Luis Jr., per a report from ESPN's Shams Charania.

Boston quickly announced its decision to sign 6-foot-9 power forward/center Chris Boucher to a one-season, $3.3 million deal.

Essentially, by moving off Niang to sign Boucher, the Celtics saved a cool $4.9 million.

The Niang trade was Boston's third such exchange of the offseason.

Beyond the Porzingis deal, the Celtics previously flipped former six-time All-Defensive Team guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for combo guard Anfernee Simons.

The Simons addition, like all the others, wasn't about talent or on-court fit.

It was about money.

Simons is on an expiring $27.7 million deal, while Holiday is owed $104.4 million across the next three seasons, including $32.4 million in 2025-26.

More news: Celtics Make Trade, Send $25.5 Million Forward to West Squad Boston wants to cut costs ahead of what it knows will be a lost season.

Per capologist Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron, the Celtics are now just $1.7 million above the league's first luxury tax apron.

With Holiday and Porzingis in the fold, Boston had been above the NBA's far more punitive second luxury tax apron.

Ditching Niang helped Boston move off $50 million in luxury tax obligations, and carved out an $82.

million trade exception.

Boston has come too far to stop now.

The Celtics seem liable to make at least one more move so that they may dip below the first apron.

Simons has felt like a strange on-court fit on a defense-first Boston squd, although at this stage the Celtics' depleted backcourt could just use bodies beyond two-time All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White and Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard.

Offloading someone like reserve big man Xavier Tillman or floor-spacing bench wing Sam Hauser could get Boston below the apron (depending on the deal), but Hauser at least provides major off-ball value and might be worth keeping for Tatum's return.

More news: Celtics Rumors: Insider Provides Massive Update on Potential $100 Million Trade For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI ..

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