In a painful offseason for former Cleveland Cavaliers veteran Georges Niang, he has been traded for the third time in the last year.
Originally signed by the Cavaliers in 2023, Niang quickly became a polarizing role player among Cleveland fans. While his three-point shooting and high energy could ignite a crowd, his worrisome defensive struggles and inconsistent shooting often drove those same crowds crazy.
Over one-and-a-half seasons with the Cavaliers, Niang averaged 9.1 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 38.5 percent from three. If nothing else, Niang was a reliable presence, appearing in every game with Cleveland in his first season. During his second season before a trade to the Atlanta Hawks, Niang continued his streak of continued availability, but his playoff duds left him an odd man out as the Cavs targeted Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter at the deadline.
With the Hawks, Niang seemed to find new life as a bench contributor. He shot 41.3 percent from range and averaged 12.1 points per game, even starting in two games with his new team. Though the Hawks were far from a title contender at that point in the year, Niang's arrival gave a team that valued floor spacing another proven perimeter talent. On a team-friendly contract, Niang fit into Atlanta's scheme.
Niang's tumultuous summer
As he entered the last year of his contract, it looked as though the "Minivan" found an NBA home with the Hawks. Unfortunately, the Boston Celtics' teardown led to another deal involving Niang. This time, the 32-year-old forward was headed to his hometown team in Massachusetts as part of a Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster.
Regardless of any on-court complaints, Niang has always offered an honest and fair perspective on himself throughout his career. Despite joining his hometown team, he realized his position with fans would never be high on a recent episode of The OGs podcast.
"You know how tough Boston [Celtics] fans are. They don't give a [expletive] if I'm from Boston or not. They're like "You just took our unicorn and replaced him with a minivan!""Georges Niang
That bittersweet homecoming would not last long, though. In another salary-shedding trade, the Celtics dealt Niang to his former employer, the Utah Jazz. After a rookie year with the Indiana Pacers, Niang spent four seasons with the Jazz where he met Donovan Mitchell and set on the path that would eventually lead him to the Cavaliers.
Unfortunately, his return to Utah is much less exciting than any player would hope for themselves. In one year, Niang has gone from a playoff contributor to a financial problem. Owed $8.2 million in the 2025-26 season, Niang's cost-controlled salary may be an indicator of an uncomfortable future for many similar players.
Georges Niang may be the first victim of the new CBA
The NBA's daunting second apron penalizes high-spending teams, forcing tough roster decisions and cutthroat financial moves. Players who do not outperform their contract to become a bargain are valued less than ever. As franchises maneuver around the harsh trade and free agency restrictions of the second apron, balacing the check book takes priority over players like Niang.
While a valuable shooter, Niang does not offer enough else on the court to warrant keeping him out of trade talks. The Celtics created $7.8 million of breathing room below the second apron after the deal and added rookie RJ Luis, Jr. in the process. The trade removed roughly $34 million in tax penalties from Boston's books and allowed them to sign veteran free agent Chris Boucher immediately after.
Following his trade to Utah, Niang has been included in three deals over the last few months, all of which were in some way a financially-motivated move. The Cavaliers, though targeting a high-caliber role player in Hunter, included Niang alongside Caris LeVert in the trade to drop below the luxury tax threshold for just a few extra months. The Hawks also avoided the luxury tax by trading Cody Zeller shortly before the Hunter deal.
These types of salary-dodging trades will only become more and more common across the league, especially for players on cheap, expiring deals like Niang. With this trade, Niang's NBA future becomes uncertain, too. As teams refuse to open the checkbook, fewer players will be offered contracts above the veteran minimum.
The unforgiving NBA world may leave Georges Niang with underwhelming contract offers in his near future. His unfair twist of fate is likely an indicator and omen for many other veteran players. The former Cleveland Cavalier has now become a math problem out of nowhere.