Celtics’ New Trade Acquisition Sends Message to Upset Fans originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After falling short of their goal to win back-to-back NBA championships, the Boston Celtics made some big moves to get under the second apron.
So far, the Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to the Portland Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks, respectively. Furthermore, they lost Luke Kornet to the San Antonio Spurs in free agency and will likely also lose Al Horford either through free agency or retirement.
While Boston did gain a lot of financial flexibility, some aspects of its trades were questionable. More specifically, many Celtics fans have made it clear they are not fans of the Georges Niang acquisition via the Porzingis trade.
Recently, Niang sent a message to Boston’s upset fans amid the criticism.
The Lawrence, MA, native has received flak from Celtics fans over the years, both due to his potentially dirty playstyle and past interactions he has had with some players, particularly Jaylen Brown.
While it remains to be seen if the fans will come around, Niang has made it clear that he understands the criticism and their expectations to win (h/t The OGs podcast)
“I then get traded for Kristaps Porziņģis—which, you know how tough Boston 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 it with a minivan.’ They’re like, ‘Get the [expletive] out of here!’ You know what I’m saying?” Niang said after his trade to the Celtics.
“They’re like, ‘What the—what is this? This ain’t shiny, man. This got scratches on it!’ So now, I’m kind of in the mode of like, ‘Okay, obviously JT is out.’ But Boston has done a really good job—if you’ve looked at it—when guys miss games. It’s their culture. It’s who they are…The expectations stand—they expect to win.”
With Jayson Tatum likely sidelined for all of next year, the Celtics are not expected to be heavy title contenders. Even so, they still have a talented team and a bright future. Whether Niang will be a part of that for the long run remains to be seen as he is entering the final year of his three-year, $25.5 million deal.
Related: Celtics NBA Champion Signs With New Team
Related: Celtics Predicted to Make Another Trade Amid $20 Million Problem
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
