The Utah Jazz have decided to retain veteran forward Georges Niang after reacquiring him this week in a trade with the Boston Celtics, according to <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA insider Jake Fischer. This move marks a notable step in the Jazz’s roster rebuilding efforts as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Niang’s Journey Before Returning to Utah
Georges Niang’s path back to the Jazz involved multiple teams. Initially part of the trade sending Kristaps Porziņģis from the Atlanta Hawks to Boston, Niang had recently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks. Cleveland had traded him to Atlanta in exchange for De’Andre Hunter just last season.
“Sources say Utah plans to keep veteran big man Georges Niang after reacquiring Niang this week in a trade with Boston,”
Jake Fischer reported.
In addition to Niang, Utah received second-round draft picks for 2027 and 2031 from Boston, in exchange for two-way guard RJ Luis. The Celtics have been actively seeking to reduce salary commitments after trading away Jrue Holiday and Porziņģis.
“The Celtics discussed trading Niang with various teams around the league, sources say, in their continued salary-shaving campaign following the luxury-tax-slashing trades that shipped out Jrue Holiday and Porziņģis.”
Niang’s Previous Tenure with the Jazz and Performance Stats
This will be Niang’s second tenure with Utah, as he previously played 206 games for the franchise from 2017 to 2021. Last season, at age 32, Niang appeared in 79 games for Cleveland and Atlanta, averaging 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He shot efficiently with 46.1% from the field, including 40.6% from three-point range, and posted a 79.3% free-throw percentage.
Over his NBA career spanning 544 games with five teams—including Indiana, Utah, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Atlanta—Niang has averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assist, establishing himself as a reliable role player.
Jazz’s Recent Moves Reflect a Focus on Rebuilding
The Jazz finished last season with the league’s worst record at 17-65, signaling the need for significant roster changes. Aside from reacquiring Niang, Utah used the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to select Rutgers guard Ace Bailey. The team also executed multiple trades this offseason, sending John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers and Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Jusuf Nurkić. Additionally, they acquired Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson from the Miami Heat and agreed to a buyout with Jordan Clarkson, with Love’s buyout expected to be finalized soon.
What Niang’s Retention Means for Utah’s Future
By bringing back Niang, the Jazz add veteran experience and shooting depth to their evolving lineup as they aim to improve on their recent struggles. Niang’s familiarity with the organization and steady production could provide stability while Utah integrates younger talent like Ace Bailey. The moves made this offseason suggest the Jazz are balancing rebuilding with maintaining a core capable of competitive growth.