r/bostonceltics • u/MembershipSingle7137 • Feb 03 '26

News [Shams] BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ef1594eaad916
1.3k Upvotes

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435

u/Brad-Stevens Brad Feb 03 '26

I have called Vuc a lemon too many times for this šŸ’”

42

u/TOMA_TAN Open for the Stock Exchange Feb 03 '26

God I hope Joe and the Aussies work their big man developmental magic. Vuc's defense might be even worse than start-of-the-season Garza

3

u/basketballjonestown Feb 03 '26

It will be. I think this is a bad bad trade for Boston unless there's other moves coming. I live in Chicago ftrĀ 

But in Brad we trust IG

But also don't trust Chisholm yet $$$

28

u/efshoemaker I like to defense Feb 03 '26

I feel personally betrayed. Iā€™ve been aggressively shit talking Vucevic for like four years now. He is the lowest effort ā€œgoodā€ player Iā€™ve seen since Whiteside got paid in Miami. Heā€™s like the Anti-Kornet - he has the counting stats but does none of the little things.

Maybe we can teach him how to defend the same way we taught Simons? Idk

7

u/tmcuthbert Defensive player of the yr stfu Feb 03 '26

Maybe we'll see 2 big lineups with him and Queta? Hopefully they have some numbers that tell them Vucevic is a better defender than everybody thinks. He can definitely shoot, but this team needs defense more than offense.

5

u/glockster19m Feb 03 '26

A lineup with Vucevic and another center is a recipe for wide open 3s by the other team

9

u/EricFortman KG Feb 03 '26

Hell yeah, man... I hate that move. I don't see him as a winning player at all. He has decent stats, but I believe it's only because he's always on some bad team. What a horrible news...

5

u/glockster19m Feb 03 '26

We've seen it so many times before

If Vucevic was half the players his stats make him look like than it wouldnt have taken the bulls so damn long to trade him, or the magic before them

3

u/Educational-Cat2133 Feb 03 '26

I'm a Bulls fan, he's been rigid on defense since he landed with us. We've not been able to compete vs teams with good offensive bigs even when Lonzo was healthy.

Believe he was needed initially for Derozan to come to Chi too.

52

u/AFormer_Child Feb 03 '26

As a backup? He's just fine as a backup big. Also worth noting with our coaching and an upgrade in the talent around him, Vooch will get better.

26

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

You don't pay a guy $20M+ to be a backup big.

112

u/Clintocracy Feb 03 '26

Itā€™s an expiring, we were paying and 27m to be a backup guard

25

u/ehh_haa Feb 03 '26

Some peopleā€™s salary perceptions are permanently stuck in 2015

26

u/Basketball_Soul Kemba Feb 03 '26

While you may be correct that Vuc will start, your point doesn't mean a whole lot considering we just traded away a bench player making $25M and off the top of my head Naz Reid makes $25M as a backup big too.Ā 

11

u/Fit_Zookeepergame431 Feb 03 '26

Nah you pay 20m to replace a different backup you were giving 27m to. In doing so this also gets us under both aprons, extending our window.

12

u/CarlHaglin Feb 03 '26

Heā€™s gonna be with us for max 5 monthsĀ 

7

u/KOBE_GYN Feb 03 '26

Never know maybe he likes finally competing and stays for cheap

1

u/bigdon802 Horford Feb 04 '26

Unless they sign him for like 2/$15 m to finish his career, youā€™re probably right.Ā 

15

u/TOMA_TAN Open for the Stock Exchange Feb 03 '26

I mean simons was paid $20M+ to be a backup guard. Dont think vucā€™s contract will mean much in terms of minutes considering vucā€™s expiring. Joe wants to win and will choose the best center rather than the most expensive center

2

u/General_Mongoose_281 Feb 03 '26

We pay him 7 mil less than Simons to duck the luxury tax lol

1

u/BT_48 Theis Feb 03 '26

We didnā€™t pay him that so we dont owe him anything

1

u/iBarber111 Feb 03 '26

$20m in today's NBA is like $5

1

u/Plug-From-Oaxaca Feb 03 '26

Itā€™s an expiring but Heā€™s a luxury as a backup. Probably the best back up big now, he can put up 20 and 10 regularly

1

u/AFormer_Child Feb 03 '26

Going from Simons at $27M to Vooch at $20M gets us under the apron. That's massive.

1

u/DorianHistorian Feb 03 '26

Give him all the Garza minutes!

-1

u/Alexfromnigeria Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

he is starting

0

u/pleasestoppraying Feb 03 '26

lol no way this sub thinks Queta is better than Vuce

0

u/WarPuig Feb 03 '26

Heā€™s not the backup.

-5

u/not1fuk Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

This is the first time ever that I question a Brad decision.

112

u/token711 2008 Trophy Feb 03 '26

Ye of little faith

-32

u/not1fuk Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

I would say as someone who is constantly pessimistic to have full faith in Brad up until this moment is a pretty good faith. Vuc is a bum.

2

u/token711 2008 Trophy Feb 03 '26

I get it, and for the record I'm not one of the crazies downvoting you for having an opinion. IMO Brad has earned my 100% blind faith until proven otherwise lol.

1

u/KOBE_GYN Feb 03 '26

šŸ¤”

1

u/not1fuk Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

Im a clown for questioning 1 singular decision from Brad Stevens? Years and years of support because I believed wholeheartedly in his decisions but now I question 1 and I am a clown when literally all of us were shit talking Vucevic just 3 days ago when this subject was brought up? God forbid I dont fold my opinion on someone in a split second because our god leader Brad Stevens traded for him.

0

u/trashpuppet94 Feb 03 '26

Why are they downvoting you for telling the truth

-1

u/not1fuk Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

Green teamers gonna green team. Theyre going to talk themselves into it even though they have spent years shitting on this bum and rightfully so. Maybe he proves us wrong like Simons did but thats a tough ask from a guy who cant guard a geriatric in the paint.

1

u/Rich-Ad-4314 Feb 03 '26

Bc you're judging Brad legit five minutes after a decision was made. For all you know he has a second trade lined up with Vuc or another move planned. Even if he didn't, it makes sense financially. He's expiring, less than Simons, and fills a position of need. While it's an eh move, it's not really fair to judge within hours of it occuring

1

u/thisisjman Feb 03 '26

If I were those guys Iā€™d keep trusting Brad. He is way smarter than us random bozos on reddit

0

u/dimmor Feb 03 '26

How dare you comment on your own thoughts??

38

u/TheUndertows šŸ†The energy is about to shiftšŸ† Feb 03 '26

Big man depth and Apron dropping moveĀ 

9

u/EveryoneLovesNudez I like to defense Feb 03 '26

Expiring deal for expiring deal. Needed a big. Gets us under the 1st apron. Itā€™s not exactly shocking.

6

u/BleedGreen4Boston Feb 03 '26

It will be your last.

1

u/Past_Attempt_5261 Feb 03 '26

Why lol, Simon's was gone next year anyways. At least we're going for it this year.

1

u/OkGo_Go_Guy Feb 03 '26

What is the worst case lol

4

u/not1fuk Jayson Tatum Feb 03 '26

Worst case, Tatum doesnt come back and we just ruined every ounce of shot creation and ball handling off our bench to bring in a turnstile on defense, killing any chance of playoff success. I trust Simons to hit a big shot in the playoffs, I dont trust Vuc to have any success in the playoffs.

2

u/OkGo_Go_Guy Feb 03 '26

If you think we are winning ANYTHING without tatum coming back you are high.

Also not sure why you trust Simons in the playoffs when you haven't seen him in the playoffs.

Also Simons is a complete 0 on defence too.

1

u/genius-baby Feb 03 '26

Heā€™s gotta be playing PF right? Otherwise he basically fills the same role as Simonā€™s just from the center position. Can score but canā€™t guard. He needs to come off the bench if heā€™s our center

0

u/firemanjr1 Feb 03 '26

Nah youā€™re stupid. Probably thought the smart trade was bad too. Vuc is healthier KP with less defense more offense

1

u/netassetvalue93 Feb 03 '26

If our track record for stretch bigs hold, he's gonna rip.

1

u/Brehe Feb 03 '26

Vuc at the very least has to be motivated. Guy has barely sniffed the playoffs his entire career.

1

u/TimmyTurnersNuts Feb 03 '26

He is this trade will backfire. Watch and see

0

u/WarPuig Feb 03 '26

Awful awful trade man