Celtics Make Mastermind Move With Nikola Vucevic Trade

Brad Stevens has done it again! The Boston Celtics have traded Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls for big man Nikola Vucevic, with each team also swapping second-round picks.

Celtics Make Mastermind Move With Nikola Vucevic Trade

The Celtics moved on from Simons in a stellar move for more depth. Simons has an expiring contract and is likely to hit free agency as an unrestricted free agent. So, this trade is an ideal arrangement for Boston, considering that Vucevic is also on an expiring contract. Depending on how the 35-year-old performs in a new city, Boston could see a revival of its interior play on offense.

Simons was showing great promise as a spark plug powering Boston’s secondary squad. However, his positive play for the team was not going to earn him the starting spot over Payton Pritchard or Derrick White. Additionally, Simons’ youth is a likely indicator of his talents being worth a sizable contract on the open market, which Boston would not be able to contend with. After acquiring him for Jrue Holiday last summer, trading Simons now is clearly the smart move to make.

Vucevic is a veteran big man and a journeyman at this point, playing for the fourth team in his 15-year career. Though he’s never been in true free agency, he’s a coveted talent for his size, rebounding, and skills at center. He will most certainly be a productive rebounder and likely find himself in the starting lineup almost immediately. After all, he has started in nearly every game of his professional career. His career averages of 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds are surely going to make a difference with the Boston Celtics.