The Chicago Bulls finally traded Nikola Vucevic. The franchise stalwart is on his way to Boston in a deal that brings Anfernee Simons to the Windy City, but Simons isn't the best part of the move for Chicago -- the real prize is a 2026 second-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans.
On the surface, this trade looks like a simple salary swap. The Celtics have been attempting to duck the luxury tax since last summer, and trading Simons' $27.7 million expiring contract for Vucevic's $21.5 million one accomplishes that.
The franchises are also sending second-round picks back and forth. Boston will receive the Denver Nuggets' 2027 second-round pick (which the Bulls acquired in an earlier deadline move), while Chicago will get the most favorable of four teams’ 2026 second-round selections -- most likely that of the Pelicans.
As of Feb. 3, that pick would land at No. 32 overall, in what's expected to be a deep and extraordinarily talented draft class.
The Bulls aren't just getting Anfernee Simons in the Nikola Vucevic trade
Simons is a legitimate NBA scorer. The 26-year-old is averaging 14.2 points, 2.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game across 49 contests for the Celtics, all of them coming off the bench. He's shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range on 6.7 attempts per game.
The IMG Academy product started 178 games for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2023-2025. Across those three seasons, he averaged 20.7 points and 4.7 assists while knocking down more than three triples per game.
Considering the Bulls' new glut of guards, he may not be in the Windy City long term. But that's OK. Because Chicago got something better.
The New Orleans Pelicans' 2026 second-round pick is a valuable asset
Historically, second-round picks weren’t highly coveted. But under the new CBA, they’ve become more valuable, allowing teams to draft prospects to inexpensive, long-term contracts without impacting the salary cap the way first-round selections do.
And, as always, the higher the pick the better.
The Pelicans have the second-worst record in the league (as of Feb. 3) at 13-39. That means they own the No. 2 pick in the second round -- the 32nd selection overall. Except now, the Bulls do.
Sure, taking a flier on Simons makes sense, especially considering Vucevic had no future in Chicago. But the Bulls squeezing such a valuable pick out of Boston is what takes this trade from mediocre to low-key fantastic.