Vucevic Quickly Adapts to Celtics After Trade

New Boston big man gets comfortable with team after just one practice, helps bury former Bulls squad.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Nikola Vucevic, who was recently traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Boston Celtics, had a standout performance against his former team just one practice after joining the Celtics. Vucevic credited the extra practice time for helping him get more comfortable with Boston's system and schemes, allowing him to excel on both ends of the floor. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Vucevic's preparation and attention to detail, noting that the veteran center's 15 years of NBA experience have helped him quickly adapt to his new team.

Why it matters

Vucevic's seamless transition to the Celtics is an encouraging sign for the team, as they look to bolster their frontcourt and make a deep playoff run. The Celtics have high expectations this season, and Vucevic's ability to quickly integrate himself into the team's system could be a key factor in their success.

The details

In the Celtics' win over the Bulls, Vucevic showcased his well-rounded game, excelling in pick-and-roll situations, knocking down shots, and playing solid defense. Celtics assistant coach Amile Jefferson, who played with Vucevic in Orlando, has been helping the veteran big man get up to speed on the team's schemes and expectations. Mazzulla praised Vucevic's preparation and attention to detail, noting that the center's professionalism has made the integration process smoother.

  • Vucevic was traded to the Celtics in early February 2026.
  • Vucevic had his first practice with the Celtics earlier this week.
  • Vucevic faced his former Bulls team in a game on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Nikola Vucevic

A veteran NBA center who was recently traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Boston Celtics.

Joe Mazzulla

The head coach of the Boston Celtics, who has praised Vucevic's preparation and attention to detail.

Amile Jefferson

A Celtics assistant coach who played with Vucevic in Orlando and has been helping the veteran big man get acclimated to the team's system.

Jordan Walsh

A Celtics player who has enjoyed playing with Vucevic and the veteran's ability to facilitate the offense.

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What they’re saying

“It helped a lot. Finally having some time to go through stuff. A little more detail, more reps—that always helps … it was a good step forward.”

— Nikola Vucevic (yardbarker.com)

“His pick-and-roll positioning defensively was good, really good. Offensively, the reads were good - the spacing, understanding where he is, the early offense reads, offensive execution—he just felt much more comfortable out there … he values the details and wants to get it right. So he put a lot of preparation into it and looked much better.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Head Coach (yardbarker.com)

“Amile Jefferson. I've known him for a long time, and he's a great guy. So that helped me a little bit because it was a familiar face, somebody I've known. So that helped a lot. It helped make me a little more comfortable.”

— Nikola Vucevic (yardbarker.com)

“Joe is very detailed. He sees something that the defense maybe is doing, or when the other team is on offense, [what] they try to run, and Joe just switches up matchups, switches up defenses … adjustments in the moment. He's big into that.”

— Nikola Vucevic (yardbarker.com)

“Every time he catches the ball, I'm just cutting, and he's looking every time. So it's great. It's a way to kind of get involved in the offense without having the ball in your hands. It's super good to have a guy to have to facilitate that and also stretch the floor and do so many things.”

— Jordan Walsh, Celtics Player (yardbarker.com)

What’s next

Vucevic will look to continue his strong play as the Celtics head into the All-Star break. The extra time off will allow him to further integrate himself into the team's system and prepare for the stretch run.

The takeaway

Vucevic's quick adaptation to the Celtics' system and schemes, aided by the guidance of assistant coach Amile Jefferson and the team's attention to detail, demonstrates the veteran center's professionalism and basketball IQ. This bodes well for the Celtics as they look to maximize Vucevic's talents and make a deep playoff push.