Even though the Utah Jazz parted ways with some of their best veterans this offseason, they also acquired a few, though it remains to be seen if any are considered long-term fixtures with the team. Odds are, Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Love won't be with the team next year, but Georges Niang is a different story. His sentiment at Jazz Media Day seems to indicate this won't be a one-year rental.
Unlike Love and Nurkic, the Jazz went out of their way to acquire Niang, not trading for him solely to resolve a roster issue. He is a Jazz alum who basically found his footing in the NBA because of his time as a Jazzman. He acknowlegded as such on Monday and added that he didn't want to leave.
Georges Niang on returning to the Jazz:
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 29, 2025
“The first time I was here, I was a young guy. Now, I’m a veteran guy. Being back in Utah helps because I never wanted to leave, it was home for me for four years.”#TakeNote | @utahjazz | @KSLSportsZone
Niang left Utah to chase a payday with Philadelphia, and since then, he has only continued to get paid more as he's asserted himself more as one of the NBA's top sharpshooters. His appreciation for Utah as a whole, combined with the Jazz bringing him back when they didn't have to could speak volumes for their long-term partnership.
Re-signing Niang shouldn't pose much of a problem for Utah
There may be some concern with signing a veteran like Niang to a young team like the Jazz. Luckily, Utah will have more than enough long-term cap flexibility to make it work.
Utah will see a lot of money come off its books after this season is over. The trio of Nurkic, Love, and Niang, along with Kyle Anderson's non-guaranteed contract, should open up plenty of cap room for the Jazz. Their first priority will be re-signing Kessler, but there should still be enough left over to comfortably bring Niang back.
Now of course, they need to be modest about it. There's no need to give Niang more than what he's worth. Over the years, he has proven his worth, and it got him a payday that he certainly deserved. The Jazz should try to keep him around the price tag of what he will be paid this season - $8.2 million.
Utah also has to think about the other young players who will want a new contract. In 2027, they'll have to think about who they want to keep between Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, and Taylor Hendricks. As long as Niang's deal is both modest and not too long, it shouldn't be much of an issue.
Because Utah brought him back when they could have simply just waited until next year and Niang says that Utah is his home, there's little reason for either side to pass on making this a long-term commitment.