Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics trade Georges Niang to Jazz, Sign Free Agent Chris Boucher from Raptors

Free agent forward Chris Boucher has agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Boston Celtics.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics shook up the NBA market on Tuesday with two moves practically in a row. First, the franchise agreed to trade forward Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz. Thus, the 2024 NBA champion received rookie forward RJ Luis Jr. Then, Boston reached an agreement to sign center Chris Boucher, who became a free agent after leaving the Toronto Raptors. ESPN’s NBA insider, Shams Charania anticipated both pieces of information.

The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr., sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/l7h0cGobfU
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 5, 2025

Initially, the Celtics also sent two second-round picks in the Niang deal. This has given the franchise increasing financial flexibility since the start of the offseason. The 32-year-old veteran arrived in Massachusetts in the Kristaps Porzingis trade to the Atlanta Hawks and is owed an $8.2 million salary next season.

The Jazz, meanwhile, continue to accumulate draft picks as they work on their rebuild. Now, they’ll welcome back Niang, who spent four years of his career defending the team. Between 2017 and 2021, he played 206 games for Utah, averaging 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 41.1% from 3-point range.

Will Chris Boucher add value to Boston Celtics’ roster?

Finally, Boston and Boucher’s deal is worth $3.3 million over a one-year contract. The experienced center arrives as a much-needed reinforcement for the Celtics’ paint, the area that suffered most from the roster’s dismantling.

Free agent forward Chris Boucher has agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Boston Celtics, agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells ESPN. Boucher lands a guaranteed deal with the Celtics and is expected to have a significant role in the frontcourt. pic.twitter.com/H13dHVyuu8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 5, 2025

Since the end of last season, the Celtics have lost Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and Al Horford. While Porzingis was sent to the Hawks, Kornet signed with the San Antonio Spurs in free agency, and Horford is still on the free agency market, but very close to joining the Golden State Warriors.

Thus, Joe Mazzulla’s team had only Neemias Queta and the newly arrived Luka Garza to fill the position. A two-time NBA champion , Boucher is preparing for his ninth season in the league. In addition to the Raptors, the veteran also played for the Golden State Warriors. During the last campaign, he averaged ten points and 4.5 rebounds in approximately 17.2 minutes per game, converting 36.3% of his attempts from the perimeter.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

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A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.