UPDATED GRADE: Bulls Trading Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics, Add Anfernee Simons

This post has been updated with the latest information. Check below for our updated trade grade.

Arturas Karnisovas has his chef hat on.

The Chicago Bulls were expected to be among the most active teams at the NBA trade deadline for weeks, and they are officially living up to that reputation. A little over an hour after they moved Kevin Huerter in a three-team deal that netted them former lottery pick Jaden Ivey, the Bulls have officially ended the Nikola Vucevic era.

ESPN's Shams Charania was the first to report the big man's departure. He will be headed to Boston in exchange for Anfernee Simons.

Here is the full trade ...

Bulls get: Anfernee Simons, Second-Round Pick
Celtics get: Nikola Vucevic, Second-Round Pick

As of now, the exact second-round draft picks are unknown. It's worth noting the Bulls did acquire two additional second round pick this past weekend in their first transaction of the season. They also added Dario Saric in that trade, who was re-routed to the Pistons in Tuesday's earlier deal.

For what it's worth, the Bulls getting the better of the two picks would make the most sense here. Vucevic fills a clear hole for the Celtics in the frontcourt, while moving off Simons shrinks the franchise's upcoming tax bill a significant amount.

Grading the Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic Trade

Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) looks to shoot against Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

This trade always made sense, so much so that a report from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto shared that the Chicago Bulls contacted the Boston Celtics about a possible trade earlier this season. At the time, however, the Celtics allegedly turned them. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network also noted that this was discussed earlier in the season.

Heck, just as recently as this morning, we actually discussed whether a Vucevic-to-Boston trade could be BACK on the table. The Athletic's Jay King shared that the Celtics were potentially investigating ways to move Anfernee Simons and draft capital to improve their center depth. Particularly with the Bulls exuding a willingness to eat salary in exchange for future assets, they felt like a logical trade partner.

To be honest, it's hard to give a full grade without knowing which picks are being swapped. Yes, we're merely talking about second-rounders, but the Bulls obviously want to come out with the more valuable of the two picks. There is also something to be said about the fact that the Bulls are said to be giving up anything at all.

At the end of the day, Boston clearly believed that Vucevic could help them more than Simons, and the Bulls also knew that doing this trade would help the Celtics financially. Do I think Simons could be an interesting piece for the Bulls to evaluate over the next couple of months? Sure. I can see a scenario where he makes some sense next to Josh Giddey, as he is an excellent off-ball shooting threat. But Simons could also walk in unrestricted free agency this summer, and the Bulls just went and grabbed Jade Ivey. As far as I'm concerned, he is going to be the bigger priority for the organization going forward.

These are all reasons why I can't give this deal the same shocking A-grade that I gave the previous two. Maybe things change if Simons is suddenly flipped in a different transaction, or the Bulls land the potential Celtics second-rounder that could sit in the 30s. For now, though, I think it's fine. Vucevic didn't seem to have any real market, and setting him free is better than finishing the year with him.

Last Note: There has to be even more coming. The Bulls aren't about to run out a Conley-Ivey-Simons-Giddey-Matas lineup over the next few weeks. Coby White and/or Ayo Dosunmu could very well be next, and I also wouldn't be shocked to see the Bulls add a big man, as Smith is the only healthy one on the roster right now.

UPDATE (3:51)

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the second-round picks are in! Chicago will reportedly receive a 2026 second-rounder that is the worst of Minnesota, New York, Portland, and New Orleans. In other words, they are well-positioned to receive the Pelicans' pick, which is currently slated to sit at No. 32 overall. As for the pick the Bulls are sending Boston, this will be the 2027 second-rounder via Denver that they acquired from the Cavaliers this past weekend.

There is no question that this now feels like a bigger win for the Bulls. Again, the big man looked all but destined to remain in Chicago past this deadline due to a lackluster market. By working the phone lines and putting their financial flexibility to use, however, they found a deal that netted them a potentially near-first-round pick. Dare I say this is a third great trade for Arturas Karnisovas!?

I'm still going to hold off on giving it a full A, as a part of me still wonders if they should have given up any pick at all. At the same time, however, the pick they gave up didn't even exist in their arsenal four days ago, and they at least got their hands on a far more valuable pick.

PREVIOUS GRADE: B
UPDATED GRADE: B+