US EditionCeltics Trade Anfernee Simons to Bulls for Center Nikola Vucevic, ESPN Reports
- On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Boston Celtics traded guard Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls for center Nikola Vucevic and swapped second‑round picks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.
- Facing a thin frontcourt, the Celtics sought center help after relying on Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, while the Bulls aimed to convert a veteran big into a younger scorer and maintain flexibility.
- Nikola Vucevic, 35-year-old center, started 48 games averaging 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons, 26-year-old guard, averaged 14.2 points with 39.5% accuracy from three for Boston.
- According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the trade drops Boston beneath the first apron, lowering their tax penalty from $39.5 million to $17.7 million and trimming roughly $6 million from payroll.
- With the Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET deadline two days away, both Simons and Vucevic, on expiring contracts, could influence roster decisions for Boston and Chicago.
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Chicago Bulls’ flurry of deadline activity includes trading Nikola Vučević and acquiring Jaden Ivey
The Chicago Bulls are taking a more aggressive approach to the NBA trade deadline this year. After years of muted activity at the midseason, executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas kickstarted a flurry of activity Tuesday — first cementing a three-team trade to acquire Jaden Ivey from Detroit, then offloading Nikola Vučević to the Boston Celtics. The Bulls acquired Ivey and veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. in a three-te…
Central Maine News
Celtics acquire Nikola Vucevic from Bulls for Anfernee Simons
Vucevic is averaging 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season.
Anfernee Simons leaves Boston to head for Chicago
The Record
Celtics reportedly trading Anfernee Simons to Bulls for veteran center
BOSTON, Mass. – Anfernee Simons’ encouraging Celtics tenure lasted just half of one season. Boston reached an agreement to trade Simons to the Chicago Bulls for 35-year-old center Nikola Vucevic, according to a report Tuesday from ESPN’s Shams Charania. The teams also will swap second-round draft picks in the deal, which comes two days before the NBA trade deadline. Simons, acquired in the July trade that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland, was a pro…
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