The Boston Celtics' pursuit of a competent center before the trade deadline was well-documented. Despite exceeding expectations thus far this season, the Celtics were lacking depth and quality at center. After spending all season chasing starting-caliber centers, they finally acquired Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simons, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The teams also swapped second-round picks in the process.
Simons was widely expected to be on the move. With his $27.5 million expiring contract, the dynamic point guard was Boston's best trade chip. Instead of risking losing him for nothing, the Celtics wanted to convert him to a player in a position of need. Vucevic, whose $21.4 million salary is also expiring in the offseason, will give the Celtics quality center play, at least offensively.
Luka Garza Is the Loser of the Celtics' Nikola Vucevic Trade
This should signal the end of the line for Luka Garza's spot. Garza quickly became a TD Garden fan favorite thanks to his gritty, hard-nosed play since he signed as a free agent in the 2025 offseason. His combination of offensive rebounding, shooting, and finishing inside the paint helped elevate the Celtics' offense.
Now, he will find it hard to carve out a role for himself in the rotation. Averaging 16.6 minutes per game, Garza will have to take a backseat and become the third-stringer. Despite losing his spot, it will be important for Garza to remain ready, as the 2024-25 campaign proved that injuries can come at any minute, leaving the next man up with major responsibilities.
Vucevic is an offensive-minded big man, much like Garza. He is not as physical and intense as Garza, but is a much more talented and polished offensive player. He can score the ball in a variety of ways while providing high-level passing, both out of the post and above the paint. He is a good post-up player and has turned into a dependable shooter in recent years. After making over 40 percent of his 3-pointers last season, Vucevic is hitting 1.7 triples per game on 37.6 percent shooting from downtown this season.
The 35-year-old center has obvious defensive shortcomings; these issues are nothing new. He is slow and underathletic. He is one of the worst rim-protecting centers in the league. This will create challenges for the Celtics, especially in the playoffs, but that would have been the case with Garza in the rotation as well.
Vucevic is not a long-term solution at center. Despite a long career, he has limited playoff experience and could be exposed at the highest levels. Yet, it's impossible to argue that he is not an upgrade over Garza. He will likely split minutes at center with Neemias Queta, as the centers possess different skill sets. Who ends up starting and closing games remains to be seen, but Garza's time in the Celtics' rotation appears to be over for now.