Getty Daniel Theis, Boston Celtics
After weeks of speculation, the Boston Celtics moved on from Dennis Schroder at the trade deadline.
Unlike most of the reports surrounding the veteran guard, Schroder did not fetch a couple of second-round picks, nor did he bring back a sharpshooting wing. However, the Celtics did manage to reunite with a fan favorite as part of the deal, bringing back former center Daniel Theis as part of a deal with the Houston Rockets.
Still, Schroder wasn’t the only member of the Celtics roster to head West, in fact, another two players left Boston as part of this deal, with Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando also encapsulated into the trade package.
As such, Boston’s deal ended up at a 3:1 ratio, meaning the Celtics now have five open roster spots thanks to the PJ Dozier and Bol Bol deal with the Orlando Magic earlier in the day. Furthermore, Brad Stevens achieved his goal of getting his team under the luxury tax before the trade deadline passed at 3 pm ET on Thursday, February 10.
Theis Returns to Boston
After being traded away to the Chicago Bulls as part of a salary dump at last season’s trade deadline, to open up cap room for Evan Fournier, Daniel Theis found himself on the Houston Rockets to begin this season.
Over the course of the season thus far, Theis has participated in 26 games for the Western Conference strugglers, starting 21 of them. During those games, Theis has averaged 8.4 points, five rebounds, and 0.8 assists per contest, which is roughly his career average across the board.
Daniel Theis already has two fouls in his first game back with the Celtics.
Still, Theis coming back to the Celtics is an encouraging move. The six-year NBA veteran has a working relationship with all of the team’s core players and understands how to get Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to their spots. Furthermore, Theis’ deal is guaranteed for the remainder of this season and the next two seasons, with a player option before the 2024-25 NBA Season.
Theis’ contract length is important, as it could mean he provides vital Al Horford insurance in the short-to-mid term while also giving the Celtics a new dimension on the offensive end of the floor. However, despite Theis embracing the three-point shot during his time in Boston, he has shot 28.1% (Chicago) and 29.1% (Houston) since leaving the team, so it’s unlikely that he provides much floor spacing off the bench.
Enes Freedom Gets Waived by Houston
When it became clear the Celtics were sending out Freedom and Fernando, it was inevitable a player or two would be waived from the Rockets roster. Simply put, there were too many players coming in, and the Rockets didn’t have the available roster space to house them all.
As such, Houston, who are amidst the early stages of a rebuild, opted to keep Bruno Fernando, which means Enes Freedom will become a free agent in the coming days. From the Rockets’ perspective, moving on from the veteran center is a smart choice, as Fernando is still only 23-years-old and could potentially become a viable backup center for the Rockets in the future.
The Rockets are waiving Enes Freedom, source tells ESPN.
Freedom has struggled for minutes this season, and when given the opportunity has looked a shadow of his former self. Most notably, Freedom was once a secure rebounder with good hands, and seldom let passes slip through his fingers, yet in recent weeks the ball hasn’t looked secure with the veteran in possession, leading to numerous turnovers.
Over his 35 games with the Celtics this season, Freedom averaged a career-low of 3.7 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists with an average of 11.7 minutes of playing time. Still, Freedom should find himself on another NBA roster before the end of the season, as he remains one of the league’s best offensive rebounders and someone will find that enticing enough to pick him up off the buyout market.