NBA rumors: Bulls asked Celtics about Nikola Vucevic-Anfernee Simons swap earlier in season

When it comes to the Chicago Bulls, Nikola Vucevic’s future is up in the air. Will he stay or will he be traded?. Recently, the Bulls’ purported plan was to keep Vucevic, who’s on an expiring contract.

With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching Feb. 5, it’s still uncertain. However, it’s been reported that Chicago and the Boston Celtics had negotiated a trade involving Vucevic and Anfernee Simons, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Apparently, before the Celtics moved up in the East, Chicago looked at acquiring Simons and a first-round pick in exchange for Vucevic. However, Boston rejected that offer.

Vucevic, 35, is playing in his sixth season with the Bulls. This year, he is averaging 17.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Chicago is 23-24 and ranked 9th in the Eastern Conference, whereas Boston is 29-18 and in third.

Vucevic is one of several Chicago players with expiring contracts. The others are Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Jevon Carter, Dalen Terry, and Zach Collins. In 2023, Vucevic signed a three-year $60 million contract extension.

Meanwhile, Boston has eight players who are slated to become free agents after the 2026-2027 season. One of those players is Simons. Currently, SImons is averaging 13.9 points and shooting 43.9% from the field.

Altogether, the Bulls are looking to add some youthful scorers to their already young roster that can complement the talents of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. Additionally, they are looking to bolster their defense, an area that has struggled in recent years.

Also, the Celtics are interested in adding a big man to strengthen their front court.

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