Bulls trade Nikola Vučević to Celtics for Anfernee Simons, swap 2nd round picks
The Chicago Bulls are sending center Nikola Vučević to the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Anfernee Simons, and the teams will also swap second-round draft picks as part of the deal.
Vučević joins a playoff contender in Boston just two days before the trade deadline. A 37-year old veteran leader and true pro, Vučević was in his sixth season in Chicago.
A two-time All-Star with Orlando before joining the Bulls, he has been a consistent presence with his double doubles, but has failed to help Chicago live up to playoffs expectations.
In exchange for Vučević, the Bulls are getting another young guard in Simons, 26, who has been a sparkplug off the bench for Boston, averaging 14.2 points this season and shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range.
CBS Sports' Jasmyn Wimbish says the deal is a solid get for Chicago, who now have a young core of Simons, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden Ivey.
Regardless of what the Bulls do with Coby White, this is a pretty intriguing Chicago team in an incredibly weak Eastern Conference.
For the Celtics, they add some much-needed frontcourt depth in Vučević, and someone who can space the floor out to the 3-point line. Think of him as a Kristaps Porziņģis replacement, and while he's not quite the rim protection that Porziņģis was, he's certainly an upgrade over the options Boston currently has.
The deal is the latest in a string of trades the Bulls have made at this year's deadline. Chicago added Mike Conley Jr. from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jaden Ivey from the Detroit Pistons as part of a deal sending Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to the Pistons. The Bulls also have taken on money for multiple teams in exchange for draft capital. Boston, meanwhile, addresses its meaningful hole at the center position with a former All-Star that fills in a stylistic gap left behind by Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, and in the process, took a step towards reaching its financial goals.