The trade market for Chicago Bulls veteran center Nikola Vucevic may not be in an inspiring place considering his age and impending unrestricted free agency, but that reportedly hasn't stopped the Bulls from still exploring trade options....
The trade market for Chicago Bulls veteran center Nikola Vucevic may not be in an inspiring place considering his age and impending unrestricted free agency, but that reportedly hasn't stopped the Bulls from still exploring trade options. According to a report from HoopsHype, the Bulls had explored a deal that would've sent Vucevic to the Boston Celtics.
According to the report, this deal was in the works much earlier in the 2025-26 season. The trade would've seen Vucevic go to Boston, with guard Anfernee Simons and a first round pick being sent back to Chicago.
The Celtics said no to the trade, despite the fact that it lowers their tax bill, adds a quality center, and allows them to get off of Simons contract. The thought was likely that with Simons not being a part of Boston's long-term plans, perhaps the Celtics would bite on a deal filled with financial savings.
Ultimately, it's possible that Boston has also started to have a more of positive view of Simons' game as he looks to fit into their system.
Simons is averaging 13.9 PPG, and shooting 39.3% from the 3-point line on 6.6 attempts per game. He is a negative on defense, but at the same time the Celtics defense would possibly collapse with Vucevic taking minutes from a player like Neemias Queta.
Queta is an athletic, shot-blocking, rim-running center. He doesn't provide the same offensive versatility that Vucevic would, but the Boston defense is a whopping 10.4 points per possession better with Queta on the floor.
Vucevic is a negative on defense, but still crashes the glass hard and gives effort. He is averaging 17.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and shooting 38.6% from the 3-point line on 4.6 attempts 3PA per game, making him a seamless fit offensively in Boston.
The main thing likely stopping this trade from getting done is the draft compensation.
Boston owns all of their own first round picks. Those firsts aren't likely to be premium selections considering how good the Celtics are (29-18 at the time of this writing) but are nonetheless valuable since you can find solid talent throughout the first round, even more so in what is expected to be one of the better draft classes in years.
While it is possible a straight Vucevic-for-Simons without the pick could be more enticing for Boston--saving money while not giving up draft compensation--it would do little for a Chicago team that has a stacked guard room and needs to be working through that situation first. It is possible that Simons would come in and fill a role that would be needed if the Bulls traded Coby White in tandem with this move.
That would make a bit more sense on the Chicago side, as the 26-year old Simons is a dynamic scorer with defensive issues similar to White, while being arguably just as if not more explosive in terms of scoring outbursts.
Chicago and Boston didn't get a Vucevic-Simons deal done, but the fact that they even discussed the possibility is a good sign for a Bulls franchise that should not be sitting on their hands as the trade deadline rapidly approaches.