Daniel Theis spearheading the Chicago Bulls recent surge
Possibly the most impressive Bulls player since the trade deadline is the former Boston Celtics center and the 29-year-old Daniel Theis. The Bulls nabbed Theis and shooting guard Javonte Green in a deadline day deal with the Celtics that saw them ship off center Luke Kornet and flip big man Moritz Wagner to Boston.
Wagner originally was traded to the Bulls from the Washington Wizards, in the deal that also landed 21-year-old shooting guard/small forward Troy Brown Jr. in Chicago. But the Bulls flipped Wagner to Boston, and he’s since been waived.
Moreover, Theis was a huge get for the Bulls. At this point, it is clear that the two most impactful deadline day acquisitions for the Bulls were Theis and former Orlando Magic star big man Nikola Vucevic. But since Vooch is clearly going to be part of the long-term plans in the Windy City, his name is omitted from this list.
Theis was huge in the Bulls win over the Heat on April 26. He played a nearly spotless game. His contributions since March 25 were decisive for this team. Theis has averaged 9.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks, in 16 games played in a Bulls uniform. And he’s shot 53.7 percent from the field, 24.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 63.3 percent from the free-throw line.
This coming offseason, Theis is set to hit the unrestricted free agent market. The Bulls should be planning to do their best to re-sign him at least for one more year given the way he’s played for them since the deadline.