Why the Boston Celtics should make Daniel Theis a long-term staple

There was supposed to be a big-man problem that was going to hold the Boston Celtics back in 2019-20. The opposite happened, and the C’s should aim to keep their starting center for the long-haul.

Daniel Theis has been nothing short of a revelation in the 2019-20 season for the Boston Celtics. He has provided the team stability at a position that many figured to be a position of weakness, and the team has been able to more than just hang with the league’s elite teams.

Thus, Danny Ainge needs to honor Theis’ contributions with a contract extension when the time is right. While he hasn’t been a superstar or anything resembling one, the German center has been everything Brad Stevens needed out of the six-foot-eight 28-year-old big man.

Sometimes, things fall into place perfectly. That appears to be the case with Theis and the C’s. Asked recently what he loves about Boston, he gave a colorful answer with plenty of relate-able details.

"“Boston is a great city. The weather could be better some days, but Boston is home for me. We have the best fans in the world. We have so many good and different restaurants to go to if you like steak, pasta, seafood, there’s so many options. You have great spots at the water if you want to drink a coffee and just sit there, so those are my favorite things to do in Boston.”"

Signed out of Germany before the 2017-18 season, Theis was meant to fill a role at the end of the bench. For two seasons, Al Horford and Aron Baynes stood ahead of him on the depth chart.

This season, he was able to earn the starting center job out of the gates and has done enough to keep his regular spot in Stevens’ rotation. Being that he was the longest tenured Celtic, he had an edge over the inexperienced Robert Williams and defensively-challenged Enes Kanter.

He has elevated his game to new heights, though, surprising much of the Boston Celtics fan-base with his defensive chops as a relatively undersized center.

Perhaps the most laudable aspect of Theis’ game has been his ability to give his teammates better looks at the rim. FanSided’s Josh Wilson noted how his ability so set screens has opened up the game for the entire C’s offense:

"Setting screens is a thankless job, and one that Theis has really leaned into. He is relentless, particularly along the perimeter, setting multiple screens per possession to get as many possible openings for his teammates. Theis logs 4.1 screen assists per game, leading to 9.0 points per game for Boston, both leading the team."

The Theis-C’s partnership is working. Currently in the first year of a two-year, $10 million contract, he is gelling with the current core as a starter playing big minutes. While he can finish at the rim and meet opposing drives at the summit, his relative lack of athleticism makes his skill-set one that isn’t likely to receive any large offers when he hits the free agent market next summer.

Because of all he does for the team, Ainge shouldn’t even let it get that far. With Kanter a potential flight-risk this summer or next, and Williams foraying into restricted free agency, the team should do everything possible to keep Theis in green and white for the long haul.

An extension would be well deserved and likely wouldn’t cost much more than $8-10 million a year annually–roughly the amount of the non-tax payers mid-level exception. If an agreement could be hammered out, Ainge could keep his core together…one that includes a European project that has worked out splendidly for the Celtics so far.