The Celtics Were Supposed To Be Subpar. Now, They've Added Another All-Star To Their Frontcourt
Feb 4, 2026
When Jayson Tatum clutched the back of his leg on the night of May 12, 2025, Celtics fans knew that something had gone horribly wrong.
As the six-time All-Star was wheelchaired to the locker room, this fanbase knew one thing in their heart of hearts: It wasn’t just the team’s run in the Eastern Conference Finals that was in jeopardy. Already, the Celtics’ prospects for the next season were going up in smoke.
Nearly nine months later, Tatum is still recovering from his surgically repaired right Achilles, with no definitive timetable for his comeback. And yet, the fans of the winningest franchise in NBA history have ample reason to wildly cheer for their Celtics.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Boston had swung a trade to acquire 15-year veteran Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls. In exchange, the Celtics gave up reserve guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick.
Celtics GM Brad Stevens, who was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2024, deserves props for pulling off another coup with this latest deal. Though Simons showed flashes of brilliance from the wing position in his first season with the Celtics, Vucevic has a flashier resume that includes two All-Star selections and a double-double in his career averages (17.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg).
This season, the 6-foot-9 Montenegrin center was averaging 16.9 points per game on 50.5% shooting from the field, along with 9.0 boards and 3.8 assists. Vucevic’s arrival gives the Celtics more size in their frontcourt, allowing 7-foot center Neemias Queta to focus on defense and taking some of the scoring load off Jaylen Brown’s shoulders.
Vucevic has made no secret of his desire to play for a bona fide contender, a description that has eluded the Chicago Bulls for years on end. Now, he gets to play for a team that is neck and neck with the Knicks near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, thanks in large part to Brown’s brilliance (29.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.0 spg).
No one, however, is expecting Vucevic to just take a free ride to the playoffs. With his vast experience and prolific stats, the newly minted Celtics big is poised to make major contributions to a team that had been dismissed as a charity case before the season began. Even as Tatum inches closer to his return, the Celtics have restocked their roster with a fresh supply of All-Star talent.
