The Chicago Bulls are sending two-time All-Star middle Nikola Vučević and a second-round decide to the Boston Celtics for guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round decide, in accordance to multiple reports Tuesday afternoon.
The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported hours later that the commerce will not be formally accomplished Tuesday evening, noting that the Bulls and Celtics are open to potential minor tweaks to the deal.
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With the anticipated transfer, Boston might be out of the primary apron, as its tax invoice drops from $39.5 million to $17 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who additionally identified that the Celtics are poised to be eligible to signal a waived participant who had a pre-existing wage of no less than $14.1 million.
The Celtics (31-18) are tied for the second-best report within the Eastern Conference.
Vučević, a 35-year-old double-double machine, will give the Celtics a lift within the frontcourt that is featured Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, whereas Simons will be a part of a Bulls backcourt that can now embrace 38-year-old Mike Conley Jr. and 2022 No. 5 general decide Jaden Ivey after Chicago reportedly agreed to a three-team trade hours earlier with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.
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Vučević’s five-plus-season stick with the Bulls (24-26) has come to an finish.
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The Bulls traded for him midseason during the 2020-21 campaign. At the time, the Orlando Magic had been hitting the reset button, and Chicago was making an attempt to make it again to the playoffs for the primary time because the 2016-17 season. The drought continued that season, Vučević’s second as an All-Star, however he helped the Bulls return to the postseason the next 12 months.
They have not made one other journey since their first-round exit in 2022, although. Once once more hovering round .500, they’re altering issues up.
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While Vučević is averaging lower than a double-double — he is at the moment posting 16.9 factors and 9 rebounds per sport — for the primary time since 2017-18, he nonetheless has 19 double-doubles to his identify this season.
Vučević will slot right into a Celtics rotation that is headlined by wing Jaylen Brown, in addition to guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, in the absence of star Jayson Tatum.
The 26-year-old Simons was coming off the bench for Boston, which acquired him in a trade last summer that shipped Jrue Holiday off to the Portland Trail Blazers. Simons averaged 14.2 factors in his 49 video games with the Celtics, capturing 44% from the ground whereas recording a 39.5% clip from past the arc.
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He’s scored 20 or extra factors 9 instances this season, even going for 39 final month in a highway win over the Miami Heat. Simons has additionally tallied 5 or extra assists on 5 totally different events in 2025-26.
Boston approached the deadline about $12.1 million over the luxurious tax threshold, according to The Athletic. The Celtics are in line to shed some wage now, contemplating Simons is on an expiring $27.7 million contract and Vučević is on an expiring $21.5 million deal, per The Athletic.