For the second time in three days, the OKC Thunder have executed a trade. Wednesday afternoon, the ball club agreed to terms with the New Orleans Pelicans on a deal that will send veteran Daniel Theis and a 2031 second-round pick out to the Sooner State.
The New Orleans Pelicans are trading center Daniel Theis and draft compensation to the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ey3XKVHv48
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2025
Thunder bolstering frontcourt with trade for Pelicans center Daniel Theis
Standing pat at the number one seed in the Western Conference standings at 39-9, the Thunder are viewed as a team that doesn't necessarily need to make any splashy, seismic shakeups ahead of Thursday's deadline to position themselves for a championship run.
That said, from a rotational standpoint, they still have some limitations to their arsenal that, in theory, could stand to be touched up ahead of what is hoped to be a prosperous postseason.
Big man depth has been viewed by many as a top weakness for Mark Daigneault's squad this year, and the acquisition of Daniel Theis directly addresses this area of the rotation.
Though far from a game-changing talent, throughout his eight-year NBA tenure the big man has served as a regular within the rotation of several playoff contenders, including with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers.
For his career, Theis sports averages of 7.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and just shy of a block while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor and 32.6 percent from deep in 18.8 minutes a game.
Measuring in at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan, the big man brings much-needed size to this Thunder frontcourt while providing both playoff experience and reliable defensive efforts.
His arrival to the rotation could also be seen as a sign that star big Chet Holmgren is still a ways away from making his return to the hardwood, as he's still rehabbing from a right iliac wing fracture sustained back in early November that, initially, had a reevaluation timeline of eight to ten weeks.
Currently, we are 12 weeks removed from the incident and still have no clear indication of when he'll be medically cleared to play.
At the very least, Theis is an individual who brings experience and veteran leadership to this extremely young yet title-hungry Thunder squad.
As for the Pelicans, they part ways with the veteran's $2.1 million salary for 2024-25, which, considering they are amid a tumultuous 12-38 season and were $1.4 million above the luxury tax before the deal, likely has induced a major sigh of relief.