DALLAS — The Celtics have traded Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported on Tuesday afternoon.
The move sheds nearly $5 million in salary for the Celtics, while bolstering a frontcourt that has almost exclusively relied on Neemias Queta and Luka Garza.
Vucevic has averaged 16.9 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game for the Bulls this season. The 35-year-old has shot 50.5% from the field and 37.6% from three, and has been one of the league’s premier stretch bigs. A strong defensive rebounder, he should alleviate what at times has been the Celtics’ biggest weakness.
Nikola Vucevic answers the Celtics’ looming frontcourt question — at least for now
The move gives Boston additional center depth alongside Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, both of whom have exceeded expectations this season. The Celtics have not utilized Xavier Tillman nor Chris Boucher in the frontcourt, and have almost exclusively relied on Queta, Garza, and small-ball lineups.
Both Queta (10.1 points, 8.1 rebounds) and Garza (7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds) are having career years, but it has long been understood that the Celtics will need additional frontcourt depth moving forward.
Whether Vucevic is a long-term solution in Boston here remains to be seen; the Montenegrin basketball player is on an expiring deal, but could potentially extend with the Celtics beyond the season, depending on how things go.
At 35, he immediately becomes Boston’s oldest players, though he has been as dependable and available as they come. Vucevic has appeared in 48 of 50 games for Chicago this season, and played in at least 73 games in each of his last four Bulls seasons .
Vucevic has been a starter in the NBA since his rookie season in 2011-2022. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011, spent 9 years with the Orlando Magic, and has played for the Bulls since 2021.
Anfernee Simons leaves the Celtics after a great stint
Anfernee Simons departs the Celtics after being acquired this past summer in the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. Simons averaged 14.2 points and 2.4 assists per game this season, shooting 44% from the field and 39.5% from three.
Throughout his brief tenure, Simons earned the praise of his teammates and coaches, who often heralded him for his improvement on the defensive end. Simons entered the year with a poor defensive reputation, but transformed into an impactful defender in recent months.
“It was just a matter of learning the system defensively, getting acclimated to the role,” Joe Mazzulla said last month. “Most of his career, there was a lot of knowns — substitution pattern known, minutes known, when the ball is finding you known, play calls known. So I thought he did a great job adapting to the unknowns – sub pattern changes, playcalls may change depending upon the lineups or the coverages, and he does a great job of handling that. The second piece was just getting acclimated to our defensive system, which he’s taken a lot of pride in since he’s been here.”
In December, Simons held the best plus-minus in the entire NBA, and in January, he recorded his best game in green, exploding for 39 points in a comeback win against the Miami Heat. Simons has eclipsed 20 points 9 times this season, showcasing his versatile scoring ability while anchoring the Celtics’ bench.
The Celtics are now out of the first apron
The move has positive financial implications for Boston, getting the Celtics under the first apron for the first time in the Joe Mazzulla era. The Celtics offload Simons’ $27.7 million expiring contract to the Bulls, while taking on Vucevic’s $21.5 million expiring contract.
The Celtics are now $6 million from being under the luxury tax altogether, and immediately reduce their tax penalty from $39.5 million to $17.7 million.
This story will be updated as more information is available.
