The Chicago Bulls shocked the world (or, at least, Chicago Bulls fans) when a report broke on Tuesday that they had dealt away former two-time All-Star center Nikola Vucevic.
The 6-foot-9 USC product had been such a Chicago fixture that, despite turning 36 this summer, there had been rumors that Bulls management was contemplating an extension on Vucevic’s expiring $21.5 million deal for 2025-26.
Instead, Vucevic is gone at least, five years after first arriving in the Windy City through a trade with the Orlando Magic. At the time, he cost Chicago two future lottery picks and rim-protecting young center Wendell Carter Jr. Now, he’s headed to the Boston Celtics for the far lower price of guard Anfernee Simons’ expiring contract and what is essentially a second-round draft pick swap.
Exact terms of said swap weren’t unveiled right away.
Per Keith Smith of Spotrac, terms have been revealed for the picks being exchanged.
Since Chicago is essentially helping the semi-contending Celtics out by helping cut their luxury tax bill (Vucevic is $6 million cheaper than Simons) and adding a key veteran piece, the Bulls will be getting the better trade chip in the offing.
Boston possesses four second-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. The best of those selections - likely to be the New Orleans Pelicans’ pick - will now convey to Chicago. The Bulls will send Boston their rights to the Denver Nuggets’ second-rounder in 2027.
Since Denver is pretty good and should be in 2026-27, the Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick should be fairly deep in the draft. Because the Pelicans number among the worst teams in the league this year, their second-rounder for ’26 should land among the five top picks (i.e. Nos. 31-35).
Bulls starting shooting guard Coby White, speaking after a tough blowout loss to the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks, reflected on Vucevic’s unceremonious pre-trade deadline exit, per The Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe.
“Vooch was a locker room leader. Seeing him go, it was kind of tough for probably a lot of guys. You're gonna feel something, right? We're all human. But we still got a game and we got a job to do, so we're going to go out there and do it."
Poe, by the way, suggests that White - the longest-tenured Bulls player this year - could be the next veteran out the door. Chicago appears to be uninterested in paying what it would take to hold on to White in free agency over the summer.
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