The New Orleans Pelicans are hoping to take the next step forward after challenging times in the NBA's Western Conference. Zion Williamson shown flashes of brilliance but hasn't always showed up in the biggest moments and now Coach Willie Green's team needs reinforcements.
This offseason has been a solid one for Coach Green's team, especially in regards to one key move that happened this past week.
The Pelicans are busy preparing for the 2024-2025 season and their fate for the inaugural NBA Cup (formerly known as the In-Season Tournament) has officially been revealed. Fans are going crazy over the Pelicans' matchups, having dubbed their bracket the NBA's official ‘Group of Death.'
With so many challenges on the horizon, the Pelicans' offseason moves are squarely in the spotlight among Louisiana area NBA fans, perhaps more now than ever.
With that in mind, it's time to reveal the Pelicans' best offseason move, the under-the-radar signing of center Daniel Theis.
Daniel Theis Will Bolster A Front Line With Very Little Depth
It's widely known that the NBA is not the same type of big man's league that it was when giants like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and a prime Shaquille O'Neal roamed the court, although Victor Wembanyama and Zach Edey are among the players attempting to bring that era back.
The Pelicans will need all the help they can get in the post and in terms of pure, unmitigated team size, as Williamson's struggles at times have shown.
Recently, Coach Green's team decided to sign Daniel Theis, who played last season for the Los Angeles Clippers. Theis appeared in 59 games and started three of them, manning the center position along with Mason Plumlee and Ivica Zubac.
It wasn't the former Boston Celtic's best season by a long shot, but it proved he can still be effective in limited action as he played 17.1 minutes per game for Coach Tyronn Lue's team in the City of Angels.
As next season approaches, the Pelicans' front line is looking incredibly thin. First-round draft pick Yves Missi averaged just 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds with the Baylor Bears last year. He's a raw prospect who is currently penciled in as the Pelicans' starting center but Theis will almost certainly factor into that position battle based on experience alone.
Theis Was A Must-Sign In Shrinking Center Market
The signing of Theis caught many Pelicans fans by surprise considering his below average season but Theis is a big man with deep playoff experience who knows how to play his role in the post. He is a solid player in terms of position defense, bottling up the screen/roll game, and rebounding on the offensive and defensive end against tough competition.
He plays bigger than his listed 6-foot-8 frame and he knows how to use every ounce of his energy to compete for rebounds, putbacks and defensive stops.
Now that Jonas Valunciunas has been shipped off to Washington, Theis will take on a bigger role. He won't match Valunciunas' size but he will certainly show the value of hustle in a backup role for a Pelicans team that must show improved heart and toughness next season.
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