Bulls send Nikola Vucevic to Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons

The Boston Celtics have secured center Nikola Vucevic through a trade with the Chicago Bulls, according to sources cited by ESPN’s Shams Charania, providing essential support to their frontcourt.

Boston will send guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round draft selection to Chicago, sources informed Charania.

The 6-foot-9 Vucevic is expected to address a significant gap at center for the Celtics, who have mainly relied on inexperienced players Neemias Queta and Luka Garza at the position this season.

The Celtics (31-18), spearheaded by their prominent backcourt trio of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, entered Tuesday sharing the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with the New York Knicks.

Vucevic, 35, is posting averages of 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds over 48 games this season, marking his fifth year with the Bulls.

This was the second trade executed on Tuesday by the Bulls, who also traded Kevin Huerter to the Detroit Pistons in a three-team deal that included the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Simons, 26, has averaged 14.2 points per game as a reserve for Boston this season.