The Boston Celtics have been one of the NBA’s Cinderella teams this season. Despite not having Jayson Tatum, they sit at 31-18. And yet, they’ve been busy at the trade deadline, swapping Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević. Quite a shakeup, so where does that leave the Celtics’ depth chart?
Celtics’ Nikola Vučević Trade Makes Room for More Moves
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the Celtics swapping Simons for Vučević, along with a swap of second-round picks.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/aScaobfZmv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026
Following the Vučević trade, the Celtics’ depth chart looks something like this, with the first player named for each position likely to be the projected starter:
Point guard: Payton Pritchard, Max Shulga
Shooting guard: Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman
Small forward: Jaylen Brown, Jordan Walsh, Josh Minott
Power forward: Jayson Tatum (injured), Sam Hauser, Hugo González
Center: Vučević, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Amari Williams, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman
Looking at the roster at the moment, it seems pretty clear that some other moves are on the horizon. In short, Boston has too many centers. They’ve actually managed quite well despite losing their three best centers from last year’s roster: Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet.
Queta and Garza have done a pretty solid job holding it down. So why even get Vučević in the first place? Well, besides the fact that he is a more proven name than Garza and more dependable than the likes of Boucher and Tillman, he also helped the Celtics save money from this deal.
While he will make almost $21.5 million this season, Simons will make almost $27.7 million. Celtics fans have taken issue with the fact that, at first glance, this seemed like a cap-saving move and fixing what wasn’t broken. However, there’s more to this than meets the eye.
Simons was excellent in the role the Celtics put him in, but many anticipate Tatum’s return this season. If and when he does, they would have to adjust the rotation. His reinsertion would have changed their starting lineup, meaning someone would have had to go to the bench.
It’s very likely that someone would have been Pritchard. He has been one of the Celtics’ best players this season, but he has familiarity with being their Sixth Man. If he was put back on the bench, Simons’ role was probably going to be cut.
With this trade, it apparently looks like Tatum might return at some point in this season. It may not be tomorrow, but it seems as though Boston would make this move on the condition that they know he will be back on the court. Adding more frontcourt depth while adjusting the roster for Tatum’s comeback makes this move better than many give it credit for.
Although it remains to be seen if Vučević will be the starting center when he does.
