Former USC Trojan Nikola Vucevic is heading to another destination after his ups and downs with the Chicago Bulls. The former Trojan is headed to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick. It seems that both parties got what they wanted in this transaction, and both parties benefited a lot.
Nikola Vucevic has been playing for the Chicago Bulls since the 2020-2021 season, and his performance has been very stable. During his time in Chicago, he averaged at least 17 points and 10 rebounds per game and shot at least 47% from the field. He didn’t quite become the All-Star version of himself in Chicago, but he did serve as a good third option. Unfortunately for the Bulls, his trade value has been next to zero since the Big Three era of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine broke out. The contract the Bulls gave him was prohibitive for almost every team.
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The former Trojan is now 35 years old, but he is still averaging 16.9 points, 9 rebounds per game this season, and shooting 50% from the field. The Boston Celtics have been looking to upgrade their frontcourt, and Nikola Vucevic is a very attractive addition to their roster.
The loss of Jayson Tatum to a Boston team currently ranked third in the Eastern Conference is one of the biggest surprises of the season. Jaylen Brown is a potential MVP candidate, averaging nearly 30 points per game. Adding a scorer like Vucevic would make this Celtics team very dangerous in the playoffs and make them a championship favorite once Tatum returns next season. The Celtics got the most in return of any center coming to Boston. Vucevic is no exception. Vucevic will be a more available Kristaps Porzingis, but loses his elite defensive abilities, and is a better Al Horford. This is a huge win for the Boston Celtics.
For the Bulls, if Vucevic could get anything in return, it would have been a win not too long ago. Getting a pick swap and young players is a win for a team looking to begin a rebuild. Anfernee Simons is one of the most underrated scorers in the league and gives the Bulls the three-point shooting they desperately need, even if they have a lot of guards. He will be paired with Josh Guidy.
Vucevic now has a chance to represent the Trojans in the NBA playoffs. Who knows, with Boston’s outstanding performance this season, whether he will have a chance to compete for a championship ring.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC’s Nikola Vučević traded from Bulls to Celtics in NBA trade
