Rumor: Jazz Plan To Keep Georges Niang

The Utah Jazz plan to keep Georges Niang, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. 

The Jazz acquired Niang from the Boston Celtics, who acquired the forward from the Atlanta Hawks in the Kristaps Porziņģis trade. Niang played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks last season. Cleveland traded him to Atlanta in the De’Andre Hunter trade. 

“Sources say Utah plans to keep veteran big man Georges Niang after reacquiring Niang this week in a trade with Boston,” Fischer wrote. “The Jazz also acquired second-round picks from the Celtics in 2027 and 2031 in the trade that sent two-way guard RJ Luis to Boston.

“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.”

This is Niang’s second stint with the Jazz. He appeared in 206 games with the franchise from 2017-21. 

The 32-year-old Niang played in 79 games for the Cavaliers and Hawks last season. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 46.1% from the field, 40.6% from beyond the arc and 79.3% from the free-throw line. 

Niang enters next season with career averages of 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 544 NBA games with the Indiana Pacers, Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Cavaliers and Hawks. 

Utah had the worst record in the NBA last season, going just 17-65. The Jazz drafted Rutgers guard Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. 

Along with drafting Bailey, Utah’s front office traded John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers, sent Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets for Jusuf Nurkić, acquired Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson from the Miami Heat and agreed to a buyout with Jordan Clarkson this offseason.

Love and the Jazz will agree to a buyout soon. 

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