Some Boston Celtics fans had hoped for splashy trade deadline additions, but Brad Stevens failed to make a big move to address their weaknesses. Yet, Stevens still accomplished a lot, not only by gaining future financial flexibility by dodging the tax, but also by acquiring Nikola Vucevic in exchange for Anfernee Simons. Vucevic already made his Celtics debut and played three games in Boston. He is off to a good start, but his Celtics and NBA future will likely depend on how he plays the rest of the season.
Celtics' Nikola Vucevic Has the Most to Prove After the All-Star Break
In Vucevic's 15th year in the NBA, the Celtics are the first team he has played for with real postseason aspirations. The 35-year-old center has never won a playoff series and has very limited postseason experience. How he will fare at the highest level, especially defensively, remains to be seen.
Vucevic will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is currently on a $21.4 million expiring contract. Even though he will almost certainly not get anywhere near that annual average value in his deal, he will look to cash in on a last lucrative contract. If he proves that he can be a competent playoff rotation player, the Celtics would love to bring him back next season. As a big man who can shoot, pass, and put the ball on the floor, he is an excellent offensive fit in Boston, after all.
The real concerns with Vucevic come on the defensive side of the ball. The big man is slow-footed and underathletic. He doesn't protect the rim well enough to be a dropback center, but doesn't have the versatility to switch onto smaller players, either. This makes him a tough fit against elite offenses.
That is also why he is unlikely to start or close games over Neemias Queta in the postseason. Joe Mazzulla could deploy two-big lineups with Queta and Vucevic, but how many minutes the veteran center will realistically play in the playoffs is unclear.
If Vucevic can hold his own, even in short spurts, and make an impact offensively, he could be a long-term fixture in Boston or another contender. If he is played off the floor in the playoffs, he is unlikely to be considered an option in free agency. In this case, he would have to sign for a lottery team as a floor-raising, offense-first center. Whether Vucevic will finish his career as a relevant backup on a title contender or will fade into obscurity on bad teams will depend on how he does over the next few months.