Chicago Bulls Hit Reset: Vucevic Heads to Celtics in Major Roster Shake-Up
The Chicago Bulls made waves on Tuesday with a pair of trades that signaled a clear pivot in their roster direction - and possibly their long-term vision.
First came a three-team deal involving the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. Chicago sent out Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric, receiving veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. and young guard Jaden Ivey in return.
That move alone hinted at a desire to blend veteran leadership with youthful upside. But the Bulls weren’t done.
Shortly after, they pulled the trigger on a bigger swing: trading veteran center Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick. It’s the end of a six-year run in Chicago for Vucevic - a stretch that featured strong individual numbers, a playoff appearance, and plenty of questions about the team’s ceiling.
Vucevic, now 35, has been a steady interior presence since entering the league in 2013. After seven seasons with the Orlando Magic, he was traded to Chicago in 2021 as part of the Bulls’ push to build a contending core. In his time with the Bulls, he averaged 18.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game - a reliable double-double machine with a soft shooting touch and a high basketball IQ.
This season, he’s been no slouch either. Through 48 games, Vucevic was putting up 16.9 points and 9.0 boards a night.
But beyond the box score, he delivered in the clutch. In November, he buried a game-winning three to cap off a stunning 24-point comeback against the Pistons.
Later that month, he struck again with another dagger triple to beat Portland on the road. And when the Bulls needed a spark against Washington, Vucevic answered the call with a late-game takeover.
Still, despite the heroics, there were signs that all wasn’t well behind the scenes. After that Wizards win, Vucevic’s subdued reaction raised eyebrows. While teammates Jalen Smith and Matas Buzelis tried to celebrate with him, Vucevic seemed distant - a veteran who’d seen too much inconsistency to get swept up in a single win.
In December, he opened up about the emotional toll of playing through struggles in Chicago. “It’s not always easy, to be honest with you, when the team is struggling, when you are struggling, when things are not going your way,” he told The Chicago Tribune. “Those questions do creep into your mind... you get caught into it, especially when things are not going well.”
That honesty painted a picture of a player who still had game left, but perhaps needed a change of scenery. And now he’s getting one - in a big way.
Vucevic joins a Boston Celtics squad that’s been a fixture in the postseason throughout his career. The Celtics, currently tied with the Knicks for the second-best record in the East, are built to win now.
With a core that includes Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Xavier Tillman, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, Boston has depth, experience, and a championship pedigree. They won it all in 2024 and made a deep run again last year.
Dying at this Nikola Vucevic postgame interview after the Bulls stole a win against the Wizards pic.twitter.com/k4x73Tz8Mn
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 23, 2025
Vucevic is expected to slide into the starting center role, giving the Celtics a skilled big who can space the floor, rebound, and make smart reads in the halfcourt. It’s a natural fit - and a chance for Vooch to chase a ring on a team with real title aspirations.
For the Bulls, this is more than just a roster shuffle. They’re 24-26, sitting ninth in the East, and clearly at a crossroads. Moving Vucevic and bringing in younger pieces like Ivey and Simons suggests the front office is looking to retool around a different core - one that may not be built around the win-now urgency that defined the last few seasons.
Chicago’s lone playoff appearance with Vucevic came in 2022, when they fell to the Bucks in five games. Since then, it’s been a carousel of near-.500 finishes and missed opportunities. Now, they’re hitting reset.
As for Vucevic, this next chapter in Boston might be exactly what he needs. After years of carrying heavy loads on teams stuck in the middle, he’s now part of a contender with a clear identity and a proven track record. In the twilight of his career, he’s earned this shot.
And if his clutch moments in Chicago were any indication, he’s still got plenty left to offer - especially when the lights are brightest.