BOSTON — When Daniel Theis was looking for his next NBA home earlier this season, the big man revealed to MassLive that he spoke to some members of the Celtics about a potential reunion. Theis was getting limited minutes with the Pacers during the first month of the season, so he negotiated a buyout to get more playing time elsewhere in November.

While Theis signed with the Clippers quickly after leaving Indiana, Theis acknowledged that he chatted about a potential comeback to Boston with some of the C’s stars before making that decision.

“Obviously, I had a couple of conversations (with Boston),” Theis told MassLive after the Clippers 115-96 win Saturday. “I talked to Jayson (Tatum) a little bit there with Jaylen (Brown). But like I said, the Clippers were pretty fast, gave me the right chance at the right time.

“So, for me, it was just all about getting back on the court. Indiana just wasn’t right for me, it wasn’t a fit. For me, it was just getting back on the court as quick as I can and just compete out there and enjoy basketball.”

BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS

STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org.

A Theis return would’ve been his third stint with the team after originally signing with the Celtics before the 2017-18 season. He was also with the Celtics during the 2022 playoff run to the Finals following a trade deadline deal. But minutes would’ve been hard to come by on the current C’s considering the front court depth with guys like Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. In contrast, Los Angeles needed a big man after Mason Plumlee went down with an injury at the time, opening up a chance for Theis.

At that point, Theis was also looking to give his NBA career a boost after barely playing in Indiana. He had a successful summer helping Germany to the FIBA World Cup crown. But he was getting limited-to-no playing time with the Pacers, so he prioritized the best fit and somewhere he could get immediate minutes, like the Clippers.

Theis is now a rotation big for a resurgent Clippers squad currently playing some great basketball with a 30-14 record. Los Angeles blew out the Celtics 115-96 in an impressive effort Saturday at TD Garden. Theis had a nice night, putting up 18 points and seven rebounds on 8-for-9 shooting in his 26 minutes.

Theis has settled in nicely with the Clippers, playing in 33 games (one start). He came into Saturday’s game averaging 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 17.2 minutes per game.

“It’s pretty easy,” Theis said of his Clippers fit. “Obviously playing off all those guys we have, it’s easy to find a spot for me playing off-ball. Sometimes it’s the dunker spot, sometimes it’s corner spacing. I think it’s just for us, in the beginning just figuring out how to play with each other, like all of them on the court, find the spots, find the right spots and then our defense in the half court is pretty good too.”

With the trade deadline approaching next week, Boston will likely be in the market for more big man depth for added depth insurance behind Porzingis and Horford for the postseason. Theis would have been an ideal fit in that spot for Boston, but the play of Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta have provided solid support in that spot during the first half of the regular season, easing the blow of missing out on Theis.

Highly anticipated sportsbooks like BetMGM Massachusetts, along with Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts have been live since Spring of 2023. New players can use promo codes like the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.