What Mass. native Georges Niang stated about commerce from Celtics

Boston Celtics

“Clearly … you need to play on your hometown workforce, however I do not assume as an expert athlete you’ve gotten sufficient time to be heartbroken.”

Georges Niang’s time with the Celtics was transient.

He was acquired within the commerce that despatched Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. Then, the Celtics despatched him to Utah not lengthy after.

The Methuen native Niang stated he wasn’t stunned by how brief his keep in Boston was. It’s how enterprise typically goes within the NBA.

“It was the summer season, so no one was actually on the town,” Niang advised reporters in a video posted by CLNS Media. “I acquired a bit of time within the Summer time league. It was simply transient. I’m from right here, I reside right here. Aside from that, it was simply the enterprise side of fixing jerseys and transferring on from there.”

He described a welcoming ambiance. He had lunch with Joe Mazzulla and a few simple conversations with Brad Stevens about the potential of him being on the transfer once more. He known as Stevens “the very best of the very best” for his transparency.

After a decade within the league with appearances for 5 completely different franchises, Niang stated he didn’t have time to really feel sentimental about leaving the Celtics.

“I simply assume the NBA is the land of the unknown. As a lot as folks assume it was [messed] up or loopy, it occurred. That is skilled sports activities. It wasn’t meant to be understood. That’s simply the way it goes.

“Clearly being from right here you need to play on your hometown workforce, however I don’t assume as an expert athlete you’ve gotten sufficient time to be heartbroken or upset. You simply transfer on and go alongside. It’s simply one other a part of the journey.”

There have been nonetheless some previous buddies who had been rooting for him to stay with the Celtics, although.

“You possibly can think about how that regarded, and clearly they had been excited,” Niang stated. “However, like I stated, it is a enterprise. My finest recommendation to anyone is to not let your feelings get in the way in which of enterprise. As a lot as we performed this as a recreation rising up totally free, it is a enterprise and there’s some enterprise issues that occurred that lots of people don’t perceive.”

Niang, who has been out with a foot damage didn’t play in Utah’s 105-103 win over the Celtics regardless of making the journey to Boston. There aren’t any arduous emotions about his transient keep, he stated.

“That’s simply how the cookie crumbles,” Niang stated. “I play basketball for a dwelling. I’m utterly blessed, and I don’t dislike town of Boston. That is my residence. I grew up rooting for this workforce however clearly I’ve a special employer and that’s what you need to name it.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports activities Reporter

Khari Thompson covers skilled sports activities for Boston.com. Earlier than becoming a member of the workforce in 2022, Khari coated faculty soccer for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.