Nikola Vucevic Reportedly Traded to Celtics from Bulls for Anfernee Simons, Updated Rosters

Anfernee Simons reportedly is on the move again.

After being traded to the Boston Celtics from the Portland Trail Blazers in June, the Celtics traded the guard and a second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday for veteran center Nikola Vučević and a second-round pick, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Simons is putting up 14.2 points and 2.4 assists per game while coming off the bench for the Celtics. Vučević is averaging 16.9 points and nine rebounds per game this season and will join a Celtics team that’s in the thick of a chase for an Eastern Conference title.

The deal will give the Celtics better lineup balance in general, addressing the need at center with Vučević. While he isn’t a dynamic rim-protector, his ability to rebound and stretch the floor as a shooter should fit nicely into Boston’s offensive identity.

Here’s an updated look at Boston’s depth chart:

Boston initially traded Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers in return for Simons and a pair of second-round draft picks, but soon after the deal, the Celtics reportedly began looking into deals to flip Simons.

He’s entering the final season of a four-year, $100 million deal and is owed $27.7 million this year. The Athletic’s Jay King reported in June that Boston was looking to trade Simons to gain some “roster flexibility,” though it ultimately kept him around heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

Here’s an updated look at Chicago’s depth chart, with the caveat that more moves are likely to follow: Jaden Ivey and

Simons, a former first-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft, has shown plenty of upside over the past few seasons. Last year, he put up 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 36.3 percent from deep in 70 games.

While he’s a capable scorer with plenty of athleticism, he still hasn’t taken the next step of becoming an All-Star-caliber player and is somewhat of a liability on the defensive end.

It’s hard to say whether Boston would have been the right place for Simons to reach star status, considering he’s mostly been coming off the bench this season. Being traded to the Bulls could give him a better opportunity to continue proving himself, especially if Coby White is ultimately traded.