The Boston Celtics have a center-sized vacancy in their starting lineup going into the 2025–26 season after moving Kristaps Porzingis, losing Luke Kornet to the San Antonio Spurs, and probably seeing Al Horford depart town as well.
Although they still have Neemias Queta and the recently signed big man Luka Garza, neither player is expected to offer the kind of consistency that a starter needs.
However, the Cs do not currently have a mechanism to fill that gap. Ben Simmons would be entertaining, but he would still be too small to protect the league’s top centers, and the free agent market is largely closed.
However, there might be a way for Boston to eventually bring in some more assistance.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report speculates that the Chicago Bulls would be considering waiving Nikola Vucevic, a two-time All-Star.
Fischer stated during a recent live stream that a Nikola Vucevic buyout is likely to occur in the middle of the season rather than a trade. “Depending on how injuries develop and how the market develops.” The Nikola Vucevic trade market hasn’t been very active in a long time.
Vucevic is a good fit for the Celtics, but is he a good fit for them?
Vucevic would be a great, inexpensive acquisition to Boston if he were bought out. During the previous season, the 34-year-old shot 40.2% from outside the arc and 53% from the field, averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game for the Bulls. Although he isn’t a particularly versatile defender, the Cs would have an attacking option that is unmatched by anyone else on the team.
He seems like the kind of guy Boston would need to survive this “gap year” as Jayson Tatum heals from an Achilles injury.
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It would be obvious for the Celtics to try to sign him if he were available.
Whether Boston would be a viable destination for the Bulls’ big man is the true question. Over the past few seasons, the Auerbach Center has developed a truly winning culture, but 2025–2026 is a clear anomaly. Why would Vucevic join Boston at one of its least likely periods after playing for mediocre Chicago teams for years? The Cs may wind up in the lottery and, at best, will be fighting for a non-home-court playoff berth. The six-foot-ten-inch big man wouldn’t exactly consider that an advancement.
While it would be entertaining, acquiring Vucevic wouldn’t immediately make Boston a contender again, but it might improve them somewhat.
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