Nikola Vucevic was acquired by the Boston Celtics before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline and played 12 games for his new team before suffering a fractured finger injury that required surgery.

Vucevic has been working hard to get back on the court, although the team hasn’t announced an official return date for him. With just eight games left in the regular season, time is running out for the veteran center to build more chemistry with his new teammates before the playoffs.

“Vooch has been working his ass off. He’ll be back soon, I hope,” Tatum told reporters at shootaround ahead of Wednesday night’s game against the Heat in Miami.

What kind of impact could Vucevic have for the Celtics in the playoffs?

His most profound contribution should come offensively. It’s no secret the Celtics like shooting 3-pointers, and throughout Joe Mazzulla’s tenure as head coach, they have used lineups where all five guys on the court could shoot 3s.

That hasn’t always been the case this season, though. Neemias Queta has been one of the league’s most improved players in his first season as Boston’s starting center, but he’s not a threat from beyond the arc. When the C’s traded Kristaps Porzingis and let Al Horford walk in free agency last offseason, their shooting depth at center took a huge hit.

Vucevic gives the Celtics that ability to stretch the floor. He is shooting 35.1 percent on 3-point shots with the Celtics and 37.3 percent for the whole season. He shot an impressive 40.2 percent on 3-pointers with the Bulls last season. Opposing defenses have to respect Vucevic’s ability to hit those shots, and that opens up driving lanes to the basket for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Launching shots from the perimeter is not the only part of Vucevic’s offensive repertoire. He is a capable low-post scorer. That’s something the Celtics haven’t had a ton of in recent years, and there was definitely an adjustment period when Vucevic first arrived.

Throwing it down low to Vucevic and allowing him to use his 260 pounds of bulk to create a high-percentage shot isn’t a bad play, especially when he has a favorable matchup against a smaller defender.

In pick-and-rolls, Vucevic can screen and roll to the basket or pop out for a 3-pointer. This kind of versatility is valuable for the C’s. Vucevic also is a quality passer for a big man. If Celtics players cut to the basket, he’ll find them.

Vucevic isn’t a bad defender by any means. It’s just not the strength of his game. And it took a while for him to adjust to the Celtics’ scheme. But before he suffered the finger injury, he definitely had a better idea of when to be the help defender and how to react to screens. Vucevic is not going to be the shot-blocking presence that Porzingis was for the Celtics, but he should be able to hold his own around the rim.

If the Celtics are going to win the Eastern Conference, they’ll need to rebound at a high level. Whether it’s the Knicks (Karl-Anthony Towns), Cavaliers (Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley) or Pistons (Jalen Duren), the Celtics likely will face several of the league’s top rebounding big men throughout the East playoffs. The Pistons rank fourth in the league in rebound percentage and the Knicks are fifth. The Hornets could be a potential first-round opponent for the C’s, and they rank No. 2 in rebound percentage.

Vucevic is a very good rebounder. He is averaging 9.0 rebounds per game (7.2 per game with Boston) this season. He also ranks second on the Celtics in box outs per game. He is a hard guy to keep off the glass.

Vucevic’s return will help the Celtics, but it could also impact other players in the frontcourt. Luka Garza didn’t play a ton after the Vucevic trade. But with Vucevic out, Garza has seen his role increase a decent amount lately, and he’s taken advantage of the opportunity.

Garza averaged 5.1 points over 10.9 minutes per game in February. He improved to 9.5 points in 17.7 minutes per game in March. He also shot 43.5 percent from 3-point range in March, including at least one 3-pointer made in 13 of his 15 games in the month. Garza also has a nice touch around the basket and runs the floor well.

Garza was fantastic in Monday’s loss to the Hawks with 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting, along with nine rebounds and one block.

Whenever Vucevic comes back, it would be a mistake to significantly trim Garza’s minutes. He has proven to be an effective player off the bench and deserves a spot in the playoff rotation.

Between Queta, Vucevic and Garza, the Celtics actually have pretty good depth at center entering the playoffs. This spot was a concern entering the season following the departures of Porzingis and Horford, but that trio has performed admirably at both ends of the floor.

It wouldn’t be shocking if one, two or all three of Queta, Vucevic and Garza had a memorable moment in a 2026 playoff game. You need role players to step up to win a championship, and these guys all bring important skills to the table.