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The clock struck 5 p.m. Monday evening and the Houston Rockets wasted no time on its top-billing free agent signing, center Daniel Theis.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Rockets are working to complete a deal with the German big man.
The Houston Rockets are working to complete a multi-year deal with free agent center Daniel Theis, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) August 2, 2021
The rumor to sign Theis had been swirling for days, but those rumors are not just rumors anymore.
Theis, 29, played in 65 games last season for the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls averaging 9.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
He spent four years in Boston after a successful European career where he won three championships with Brose Bamberg in Basketball Bundesliga.
His knowledge of the European game and translating the FIBA game to the NBA game should be a massive plus as he mentors fellow European bigs Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba, who were selected by the Rockets in the NBA Draft.
Theis also looks to improve the team’s rebounding efforts after a dismal showing on the boards last season.
Should Theis agree to terms with the Rockets, he should fit right into the direction the Rockets are looking to for the 2021-22 season.
UPDATE: Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the contract terms are 4 years, $36 million.
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.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021