Chicago Bulls biggest questions heading into the offseason: Can they convince Daniel Theis to return?
One of the more promising developments during the Bulls end of the 2020-21 NBA season was the play of big man Daniel Theis. He was added via trade from the Boston Celtics for virtually nothing and proved he is in need of a major raise this offseason.
With the already discussed cap situation the Bulls face this offseason and a number of needs across their roster, the team will have to get creative in order to bring back the big man. He is expected to have a number of suitors in unrestricted free agency, and rightfully so.
He showed just how versatile he is during his stint with the Bulls. Whether it was coming off the bench or starting at the power forward spot, Theis was an impact player night in and night out for Billy Donovan.
The veteran big man played in 23 games for the Bulls, including 14 starts. He averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. More than the numbers will show, Theis brought energy and effort to the court every single night.
He is the kind of player that teammates love to play with. The Bulls would certainly love to bring him back in free agency, but it will be difficult to do based on what he is expected to get on the open market.
Can they convince him to take a little less for a multi-year deal? If so, what is the next step in fixing the roster? He is more of a luxury at this point for the Bulls, as they have much bigger needs to address.
Still, Theis is a winning player that the Bulls could desperately use moving forward. If they are going to retain him, they are going to need to convince him Chicago is the place for him and his family moving forward.