In Chicago Bulls franchise history, the number 23 holds a lot of value thanks to the one and only Michael Jordan. In terms of recent happenings, the number 23 also has a less significant meaning; it’s the number of games that Daniel Theis will have played as a Chicago Bull.
Hours after NBA free agency began, Theis agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets on a four-year deal worth $36 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent C Daniel Theis has agreed to a four-year, $36M deal to join the Houston Rockets, his agents Michael Tellem and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.
Per ESPN’s Tim McMahon, the Bulls and Rockets will work on a sign-and-trade agreement for Theis, which will then give Chicago a trade exception.
Theis joined the Bulls in late March at the trade deadline. The big man came from the Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also included the Wizards.
In 23 games for Chicago, Theis quickly found a place on the team, bringing defense to the frontcourt that made him a favorite early on. He eventually joined the starting lineup, starting his 14 final games of the 2020-21 season. In 25.0 minutes per game, Theis averaged 10.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 52.2% from the field.
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Houston Was a Rumored Destination for the Veteran Center
Theis had been expected to gain serious interest in free agency, so whether the Bulls could actually re-sign him had been questionable. Prior to the start of free agency, the Rockets were one team mentioned recently in regards to the big man.
Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago brought up the Rockets as a potential landing spot for Theis in his most recent mailbag piece. At the end of July, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported that Houston was expected to acquire Theis via sign-and-trade by using its trade exception, which lines up with the aforementioned report from McMahon.
Theis can bring some defense and can be a veteran presence on a young Jalen Green-led Rockets team that is rebuilding. He will join Christian Wood and recent draftees Usman Garuba and Alperen Sengun as the other frontcourt players on the squad.
Bulls Will Need to Add Frontcourt Depth
With Theis’ departure, the Bulls will lose a key frontcourt defender. Seeing as defense was one of Chicago’s weaker points last season, finding a backup center who can effectively defend would be helpful.
For the time being, the lone center on the Bulls’ roster is Nikola Vučević. Chicago’s 2020 second-round pick, center Marko Simonović, is expected to join Chicago this season, according to Johnson. The incoming rookie could potentially help on the defensive end, but he has a thinner frame and is expected to be more of an offensive threat.
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Bulls Lose Free Agent Big Man to Western Conference Team: Report