What Georges Niang is willing to do to help the Celtics in Jayson Tatum's absence

Boston Celtics forward Georges Niang, a Massachusetts native familiar with the team's winning tradition and high fan expectations, acknowledges the challenge of joining his hometown team despite star Jayson Tatum's indefinite absence due to an Achilles injury. He aims to honor the franchise's standards by preparing to contribute however possible this summer.

Niang arrived in Boston via a significant offseason trade that sent popular starter Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. Aware that trading Porzingis makes his homecoming less celebratory for fans, Niang is determined to win over the Boston faithful. This includes atoning for an incident involving Jaylen Brown's knee during the 2023 playoffs. He stressed on the "OGs" podcast that losing is unacceptable in Boston, committing to immediate on-court contribution.

On the podcast, Niang outlined his summer focus: arriving in peak physical condition, mentoring teammates, learning from the championship-experienced Celtics, and concentrating daily on winning games. He emphasized the critical nature of winning, stating, "You don't want to be in Boston losing, that's for sure."

Niang's role is expected to be more significant in the 2025-26 season due to Tatum's injury and the departure of multiple starters, leaving Boston less deep than before. His path to earning fan respect hinges on consistent performance, particularly hitting 3-pointers and demonstrating hustle as he has throughout his NBA career, with winning being the ultimate requirement.