The Boston Celtics could gift the Golden State Warriors a perfect rotation piece, Georges Niang, for free. Boston needs to make more moves this summer in order to get back under (and stay under) the second apron, and the Warriors have a TPE that can fit all of Niang’s $8.2 million salary for next season.
Niang was sent to Boston in the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks, but the Celtics still need to shed money from their books. Meanwhile, the Warriors will be trying to piece together a competitive roster around Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, and Niang could help with that.
A move could be a perfect solution for all sides involved.
What would a Georges Niang trade look like for Warriors?
The Warriors have an $8.8 million trade exception from the Butler trade, as they sent Kyle Anderson to the Miami Heat in the deal. This would allow them to bring Niang on board without sending out any matching salary in return.
On top of that, since the Celtics will be looking to shed salary in the immediate future anyway, the Warriors could probably get him for cheap, too.
Here’s what a potential trade could look like:
Warriors get: Georges Niang
Celtics get: Second-round pick
Maybe the Celtics would press the Warriors for more than just a second-rounder, or maybe the Warriors would push back and force the Celtics to take back a second-rounder to heavily protected that it likely won’t convey.
The point is, the Warriors could probably get Niang for extremely cheap, if not for (effectively) free. That’s simply the state of the financial situation the Celtics are in right now.
How can Georges Niang help the Warriors?
Niang has been a 40% three-point shooter his entire career. That alone should be enough to entice the Warriors. His three-point shooting in spot minutes could be a nice addition to the lineup.
In addition, Niang plays at a position where Golden State could use some extra depth. They lost Anderson and Andrew Wiggins in the Butler deal, and it seems like Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the team is up in the air. Adding Niang to the rotation would give them some extra flexibility at the forward spot.
Plus, while Niang is certainly slow for the position (due to his build and age), he’s proven to be a massive pest on the defensive end at times. His veteran presence could help the Warriors in their quest for another title with Curry and Green at the helm.