Rockets sign Daniel Theis (4 years, $36M)

Since 2002, when Yao Ming went #1 overall (and Nene went in the top 7), want to take a guess as to how many PF/Cs who did not play college ball played over 25 minutes per game in their rookie year?

Exactly one, Kristaps Porzingis. Not Giannis, not Jokic, not Sabonis, not Gobert, not Ibaka. Even guys picked at the very top of the draft such as Gallinari, Kanter, and the #1 overall pick Bargnani could not get full-time starter minutes right out of the gate.

I have tremendous hope for Sengun's potential, but I don't think that giving Theis his customary 15-20 minutes as a nominal starter this year is going to really impede the development of Alpi. Honestly, just the fact that he's an NBA veteran who speaks English and can call out the defensive assignments is probably going to earn him minutes that overlap with KPJ and Green. Alpi is extremely instinctual on both sides of the court IMO, but asking him to also be the leader on defense is a really big ask in his rookie year. We're also not even considering the fact that most rookie bigs don't play all 82 games due to injury in their rookie year. We're probably going to dislike seeing Theis early in the year, but will be thankful when he's the last man standing later on.

To my eyes, nothing that Garuba has done so far has inspired any confidence that he's going to be ready to be a rotation piece this year. The defensive potential is massive, but he's coming from such a limited offensive role at Real Madrid that it definitely seems like he doesn't have the natural instincts to be in the right place or improvise on offense. Ironically, if Harden was still on the Rockets and they were contending, Garuba might have seen the floor first over Alpi. Right now, however, I think he's the odd man out. It's going to be on him to beat out Theis next year to get more court time as the 3rd big.

 

Sounds like Lakers like him more than Stone does.

Too bad.

 

I think most want Sengun to start not because we want him to develop, but because he is simply the better player than Theis in almost all aspects. Theis on paper should have been the veteran defensive coordinator that keeps the young ones in check. But judging from the last 2 games, he looked like he is just as lost on both ends along with the rooks.

When Sengun came in, last night in the first quarter, he calmed everyone down and we made a scoring and defensive run.

 

I do wonder what the upper limit for Sengun's minutes just based on physical limitations alone. He's going to roughly triple his games played this year, combined with significantly more travel by plane, lots more sleeping on the road, and way less rest. He's also radically changed his body over the last two years, losing a lot of weight; these all seem like factors that make him pretty ripe for an overuse injury if the Rockets are not careful. If he's going to be roughly capped at around 25 mpg, is it better for the Rockets to stagger his limited time on the court with KPJ and Green, so he maximizes the time he gets to run the show? Or should they try to have them play together as much as possible to start building chemistry? Brings back a bit of PTSD about how the Rockets were going to try and put a limit of 24 minutes on Yao in his last year, which lasted all of 5 games.

I think I favor putting Tate and Theis alongside KPJ/Green/Wood in the starting lineup, with Augustin/Gordon/Martin/Sengun as the second unit. Ideally, Sengun can close games in place of Theis, and keep wrecking shop in the 2Q of most games.

 

Theis is just a backup center who is allergic to rebounds

 

do you also think Jalen Greens PT should be capped at 25?

 

Good safety signing and I think the bigger gift is: Daniel Theis and Eric Gordon make a $25m combined and would be excellent on a contender.

Can see Warriors giving us a good pick or young player plus Wiggins' expiring contract at the deadline. I have a feeling that we have already agreed Theis' next destination before signing him. Probably a team that didn't have capspace or MLE available.

 

i hope he gives his best in regular season and in playoffs...perhaps hes just heating up and experimenting

 

In my opinion, it would be a bit ignorant to think our "Defensive specialists" is going to be going hard in the pre season. Look at what he did in Boston, just gave them some decent minutes and some decent defense. Plus he's a good contract to move/combine.

There are going to be a ton of minutes and a ton of development going on so no need to get your panties in a bunch.

 

the only way Stone can justify this move is if it's a 3d checkers tank move... otherwise i'm grasping at straws wondering why we couldn't afford the 1-2 extra million it would have been to sign Kelly O...

It's a shame because it felt like Kelly had a great chemistry with KPJ and it would have been really fun to watch KO and Sengun together in a lineup making great screens and passing to cutters.

 

hit some 3's last night for the first time but i'm not going to delude myself that is the normal.

i do not enjoy watching this man play basketball.

 

I'm not sure why Theis is on this team. He's a net negative. He can't rebound, shoot, and is turnover prone

 

Theis commits one turnover and grabs 10 rebounds.

This board: “He can’t rebound and is turnover prone!”

Sengun scores 5 points and grabs 1 rebound.

This board: “My God, he’s the next Jovic!”

 

I stand on my receipts for Theis when the thread was first opened. Initially there was push back, since no Rockets games played yet (understandably). But from his Celtics days, I just don't see him as the defensive answer. Now I see more people coming around.

Kat, Horoford, Boban, most bigs still had their way with us. Is it possible that it could have been worse with Theis off the court... I dunno maybe.

Also unknown if Sengun or Garuba will instantly be better, but if a vet is not clearly above the rookies (that's not a good sign).

Will still root for Theis to play well, and I don't want to be a knee jerk. If by Dec still the same, a shake up in lineup is needed.

 

Understandable for Alpe but Theis is someone we just really overpaid for. He sucks.

 

lololol

Exactly. That’s the reason why I gas up DHouse, so many people with overdramatized takes non stop. I like Theis he’s been solid. Sengun didn’t play more last night because he kept getting blown by the Mavs guards, Theis was playing well

 

I like Theis just fine, but he’s unnecessary on this team. I think he will be a good trade piece going forward.

 

Not sure why so much hate on the guy. Theis is doing exactly what he is supposed to do. He's an okay role player. Set picks, play defense and shoot some 3s when open.

He would be a backup center if the team had a true starting center. We don't. Wood is not strong enough. Sengun is still learning the NBA. Hopefully he will develop sooner than later.

 

Exactly. I really don't get it. People are acting like we're paying him max money. I checked: He's 154th highest paid NBA player. What we are paying him is perfectly fine for a decent starting / solid backup center.

 

Might want to rethink that phrasing.