The Boston Celtics continued their dramatic roster shake-up by recently trading Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz. That move, in and of itself, won't make a dent on the court, but it is just the latest in a series of moves to slash their luxury tax bill.
Roughly $300M in salary plus taxes. https://t.co/ZWQyPUfuCs
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 5, 2025
According to NBA cap expert Keith Smith, they saved more than $300 million, with the Niang move helping them reach that number. While the Celtics have slashed payroll in half, they have also gutted their roster.
Just look at their front court. It's downright tragic, with their center rotation arguably being the worst in the league. That's after trading Kristaps Porzingis and seeing Luke Kornet and Al Horford leave in free agency.
Making major moves to cut salary was partly warranted, seeing as how the Celtics couldn't afford to keep all of those championship pieces together for years at a time. Especially with the repeater tax. Nevertheless, that probably isn't going to comfort Celtics fans if and when next season's team disappoints.
The Celtics' penny-pinching just made them significantly worse
The Leastern Conference—excuse me, I meant the Eastern Conference is up for grabs with the talent level taking a hit. Still, as currently constructed, it's hard to imagine the Celtics making noise without revamping their team.
That is easier said than done with them making moves to save money and unlikely to make moves to improve their roster that would take on salary. The best-case scenario for the Celtics next season would likely be for them to make the playoffs, get a favorable seed, and maybe win a round if everything goes their way.
Then, they'd get Jayson Tatum back and pair him with a hopefully leveled-up Jaylen Brown as well as Derrick White. Then Boston can see what's what post-Tatum Achilles tear.
That's not the most attractive route, but it's the best one for them all things considered with their best player out for all of next season. The worst case is that they are a play-in team and either miss the playoffs or get a low seed and get demolished in the first round.
Then, after next season, Tatum returns but takes another year to begin to look like himself. Either way, the Celtics are looking at a gap year next season. Be that as it may, their offseason moves were far more drastic than many expected them to make. That leaves next season up in the air as far as potential outcomes for Boston.