BOSTON — The Boston Celtics traded recently acquired forward Georges Niang and two future second-round draft picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for rookie RJ Luis Jr., both teams announced Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
The deal is contingent on the players passing their physicals.
Niang is headed to Utah just a month after being dealt to Boston as part of a three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. Niang previously spent four seasons with Utah. He appeared in 79 games split between Atlanta and Cleveland last season when he averaged a career-high 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Shedding the final year of Niang’s salary for next season will save Boston $8 million in luxury taxes, and allow it to stay under the second penalty apron following the addition of Chris Boucher, who agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal.
Boucher has spent the past seven seasons with Toronto, where he was part of its 2019 championship team.
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Tatum without boot or brace
Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum was spotted at practice on Wednesday — just not on a basketball court.
The Celtics star made an appearance at the New England Patriots’ joint training camp practice with the Washington Commanders.
Tatum, who had surgery in May to repair the ruptured right Achilles tendon injury he suffered in Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the New York Knicks, was seen walking without a boot or brace.
It’s a welcomed sign for Tatum as he continues a rehabilitation that is expected to keep him out most — if not all — of next NBA season. Tatum mostly stood on the sideline during his appearance Wednesday, interacting with Patriots players and Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Tatum has been seen in multiple social media videos working out in the weight room at the Celtics’ team practice facility.
Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in June that the All-Star is progressing well following surgery. But asked about whether the team had put a potential timeline on Tatum’s return, Stevens was definitive that there would be no rushing the star’s recovery process.