Celtics could reunite with former fan-favorite big man

The Celtics can upgrade their center rotation this summer, with Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman potentially departing in free agency. As a second-apron luxury tax team, Boston is limited to offering veteran minimum contracts in the free-agency market.

According to Brian Robb of Masslive, the team could explore a potential reunion with Daniel Theis.

"The Celtics tried to reunite with Theis last year when he became a free agent, but he opted to sign with the Clippers, who had more minutes available," Robb reported. "The equation may change now, though, with Boston having plenty of minutes available for at least the first two months of the season and potentially beyond at center. Theis still has fans in the front office, so this is a name to keep an eye on."

Theis split last season between the Indiana Pacers and L.A. Clippers. He played in 60 regular-season games, averaging 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and an assist. He shot 53.2% from the field and 36.6% from three-point range.

Celtics fans would welcome Theis back into the rotation. He has proven himself a reliable backup big man and has been part of multiple runs to the Eastern Conference Finals. He also played 16 games as the Celtics challenged for the NBA Championship in 2022.

However, Theis is older now. He has never played in Joe Mazzulla's motion-based offense, so he would need to learn the entire offensive and defensive system. Nevertheless, he is familiar with the Celtics' core rotation. He knows their habits and how they play. In a vacuum, he would be a solid fit to replace one of Kornet or Tillman — if not both.

Theis is an unrestricted free agent. He could sign a veteran minimum deal to return to Boston for the third time. By doing so, he would position himself to contend for a championship next season. The move would make sense for both sides.

Although, Kornet and Tillman's future must be resolved before a reunion occurs. Otherwise, Boston will be overloaded with bigs and have no clear playing time path.