Daniel Theis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Theis, EuroBasket, Doncic, Cancar, Nebo

August 11th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA big man Daniel Theis signed with AS Monaco in February, spurning an offer from Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos. Theis apparently could have stayed in the NBA after being waived by the Thunder, Eurohoops.net relays.

“Before coming to Europe, I had an offer from the Knicks,” Theis told Euro Insiders. “Mitchell Robinson was coming back from injury. I spoke with (Tom) Thibodeau and he told me I would be insurance for them if Robinson couldn’t play. I thought, if I stay until the end of the season and don’t play, what chances will I have in the summer? So I said, ‘I’m going to Europe. If I play well, I’ll have better chances.’ Maybe I wouldn’t have come to Europe if (Monaco coach Vassilis) Spanoulis hadn’t called me. I didn’t just look at the money, but the school, the life, everything.”

Theis played for six different NBA teams and had grown weary of being on the move.

“Trades in the NBA are kind of like, ‘Thank you, but you have to go — we traded you to Chicago.’ Then you pass medicals, go back for two days to where you were to get your things and move. It’s tough,” he said. “After some years, you see the business side of the league. Sometimes it’s not that your team doesn’t want you, but another team wants you more. Or sometimes you’re part of a trade because your contract fits better somewhere else. It’s like Panini stickers — you take two, I take one. When you have a family, it’s not easy.”

Here’s more international news:

Alex Mumbru is the current head coach of the German national team. While Germany has plenty of NBA firepower, he told Spanish news agency EFE (hat tip to Eurohoops.net) that he considers Serbia and France the favorites in this year’s EuroBasket tournament. “We have to play well, improve every day, try to play good basketball, and the team has to have chemistry. Pressure? Everyone’s trying to create it,” he said. “I think Serbia and France are the two strongest teams. We have good players, too, and we’re going to the EuroBasket to win and compete seriously. I’m sure we’ll go there with great desire.”
Luka Doncic claimed that Vlatko Cancar and Josh Nebo were blocked from representing Slovenia by Olimpia Milano, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “As far as I understand, the club didn’t allow them to come,” he said “In the end, the Lakers allowed it, Milan didn’t. I’d rather not get involved in it, but that should be the player’s decision. In my opinion. Those two are not at fault.” However, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops reports that an official statement released by Milan’s GM Christos Stavropoulos refuted Doncic’s claim. “Regarding some recent media reports, I would like to clarify on behalf of the club that the health of our players has always been and always will be our priority,” he said. “In the specific cases of Vlatko Cancar and Josh Nebo, I need to point out that both players are recovering from very serious injuries that severely limited their availability during the last season. In agreement with them, a procedure for their gradual return to action will be implemented to safeguard principally their health and long-term competitiveness.”
Barkas calls EuroBasket a can’t-miss tournament due its star power, making it superior to any other international basketball event outside of the Olympics.

Southeast Notes: Da Silva, Wagner, Bitadze, Knueppel, McNeeley, Heat

July 21st, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic forwards Tristan Da Silva and Franz Wagner have been named to Germany’s preliminary roster for this summer’s EuroBasket tournament, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

Wagner is one of the top players for Germany, which finished third at the competition in 2022. NBA veterans Dennis Schröder and Daniel Theis are also on the 16-man roster, which must be cut down to 12 for the tournament. Magic assistant coach Randy Gregory will serve as an assistant coach.

Orlando center Goga Bitadze will play for the Republic of Georgia at the event. The tournament will take place Aug. 27-Sept. 14 in Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The Hornets won the Las Vegas Summer League title and Kon Knueppel was named the tourney’s MVP. In doing so, Knueppel proved he had much to offer than just his ability to knock down jumpers, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes. Late first-round pick Liam McNeeley played with a chip on his shoulder and he could prove to be a steal at No. 29 overall, Boone adds.
The Heat essentially have one two-way contract available. Did any of the unsigned players on their Summer League roster earn that deal? The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang identifies five players — center Dain Dainja, forwards Javonte Cooke and Myron Gardner and guards Erik Stevenson and Bryson Warren — who deserve consideration for that spot.
How does the current Heat roster stack up against their Eastern Conference peers? Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald believes that Miami could finish anywhere from fifth to 10th in the East and identifies Cleveland and New York as the only clubs clearly better than the Heat, unless Philadelphia’s top players are healthy.

International Notes: Kabengele, Simonovic, Forbes, Theis, Hall

July 19th, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Rory Maher

As it prepares for its first EuroLeague season, Dubai Basketball continues to aggressively pursue former NBA players. According to an official press release (Twitter link), the latest player to join the team’s ranks is Mfiondu Kabengele, who played parts of three seasons with the Clippers, Cavaliers and Celtics from 2019-23.

Kabengele, 27, has spent the past two seasons in Europe with AEK Athens in Greece and Reyer Venezia in Italy. In 47 EuroCup and LBA games with the Italian club last season, the Canadian big man averaged team highs of 15.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .564/.318/.704.

Kabengele is a former first-round pick, having been selected No. 27 overall in the 2019 draft after two college seasons at Florida State. He signed a two-year contract with Dubai, according to Eurohoops.

Here are a few more international items of interest:

Former second-rounder Marko Simonovic, who spent two years with Chicago from 2021-23, will be switching teams for the 2025/26 campaign but will remain in Turkey. After suiting up for Bahçeşehir Koleji last season and averaging a combined 7.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG in 45 appearances (17.1 MPG), the Montenegrin center has inked a new deal with Türk Telekom, the team announced (via Twitter).
Bryn Forbes, a seven-year NBA veteran who played in Puerto Rico in ’24/25, is signing with Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, sources tell Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. Known for his outside shooting ability, the 31-year-old guard played for San Antonio, Milwaukee, Denver and Minnesota from 2016-23. Forbes was arrested in San Antonio in February 2024 on a charge of assaulting a family member by choking/strangulation, which is considered a third-degree felony. He was also arrested in February 2023 following a domestic violence incident, though that case was later dismissed after he successfully applied for a pre-trial diversion program, which requires an admission of guilt among several other criteria, per Andrew Moore of KENS 5 News.
According to Mozzart Sport, German big man Daniel Theis has drawn interest from Partizan Belgrade but is considered likely to stay with AS Monaco (hat tip to Eurohoops). The 33-year-old center is reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar as well. Theis played for New Orleans last season prior to being traded to — and released by — Oklahoma City in February. The eight-year NBA veteran finished out 2024/25 with Monaco.
Donta Hall‘s three-year contract with Olympiacos is now official, according to a press release from the Greek EuroLeague team. You can find more details on that agreement right here.

Free Agent Notes: Thomas, Wong, Walker, Theis

July 18th, 2025 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

Expanding on his earlier reporting on restricted free agent guard Cam Thomas, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link) says he has heard from three sources that there may not be resolution on the situation anytime soon. The Nets are the only NBA team with cap room remaining and continue to explore options for how to use that space. Until that happens, they’ll likely be in no rush to lock up Thomas to a new deal, and his camp isn’t pressing the issue either.

On top of that, there may be a substantial gap between how the two sides value Thomas. As Lewis writes, a source familiar with the guard’s thinking believes he could be seeking $30MM per year, since he doesn’t consider himself to be a lesser player than Immanuel Quickley (who is earning $32.5MM per year going forward), Tyler Herro ($32MM per year), or RJ Barrett ($28.7MM per year).

However, the Nets likely won’t consider a deal anywhere near that lucrative, especially with no rival suitors in position to offer Thomas a significant offer sheet. Two league sources who spoke to Lewis wondered if the 23-year-old might ultimately accept his $6MM qualifying offer in order to reach unrestricted free agency in 2026, though that would likely be a last resort.

Here are a few more notes on free agents from around the basketball world:

CSE, an agency representing basketball players, held a pro day in Las Vegas on Tuesday of this week, according to Spencer Davies of RG.org, who says a number of teams were in attendance to watch players with past NBA experience, like Isaiah Wong, Izaiah Brockington, and Chasson Randle. G League and international veterans like center Garrison Brooks and wing Pedro Bradshaw also took part and have drawn some interest as potential NBA training camp signees, Davies adds.
Wong has had “productive” discussions with the Jazz, Davies reports. The 24-year-old guard was in camp with Utah last fall and opened the season with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League before catching on with Charlotte.
After missing out on Vasilije Micic, who reached an agreement with Hapoel Tel Aviv, the EuroLeague club Real Madrid has its eye on a couple other NBA veterans. Relaying a report from the Spanish outlet Marca, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops notes that veteran guard Lonnie Walker and big man Daniel Theis are on Real Madrid’s radar. Walker finished last season with the 76ers, while Theis played for AS Monaco after being waived by Oklahoma City in February.

International Notes: Micic, Westbrook, Jokubaitis, Valanciunas, Theis

June 16th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Hapoel Tel Aviv general manager George Hinas tells Vuk-Milos Petrovic of Basketball Sphere that his team remains in contention to sign Vasilije Micic, but he dismissed speculation about Russell Westbrook. While Micic is still under contract with the Suns, they’re expected to decline their $8.1MM team option for next season, making him a free agent by the end of the month. Several European clubs have expressed interest in adding the 31-year-old point guard, and Hinas rejected reports that Micic has ruled out Tel Aviv because of war concerns.

“He’s a great player, a EuroLeague legend, and one of the best ever,” Hinas said. “We spoke with him in late March and early April. We didn’t reach an agreement then, but we stayed in touch with him and his agent. What the Spanish media reported — that he rejected us because of the war — isn’t true. We continued talking. … Nothing is concrete yet. He’s one of the players we’re interested in, but so are other clubs. That’s how the offseason works — he talks to many clubs, and we talk to many players. His case is not closed. Not at all.”

Hinas called rumors about a potential deal with Westbrook “100% fake news.” Westbrook turned down his player option with the Nuggets for next season, but he’s expected to get another NBA opportunity.

“There were numbers mentioned — $50 million per year — which is crazy,” Hinas added. “I get that Hapoel Tel Aviv draws attention because we’re spending money. I counted 37 players who were linked with us. It’s good we’ll have three rosters, because when you have 37 players, it makes things easier (laughs). To be serious — it’s not true. There was no interest, and no one approached him.”

There’s more overseas news to pass along:

Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis could be considering a departure from Hapoel Tel Aviv due to international tensions, Petrovic adds in a separate story. Fenerbahce is reportedly interested in the 24-year-old guard, who may seek an early termination to his current contract.
Speaking at his annual camp in Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas said he expects to remain with the Kings this season after being acquired from Washington in February, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I can make my own plans, but what the Kings decide is what matters most,” he said. “Right now, I’m planning to stay. I haven’t heard anything about being traded or moved. Until there is such information, all my focus is on Sacramento.” Valanciunas also confirmed that he will participate in this summer’s EuroBasket tournament.
Daniel Theis, who started the season with New Orleans before being traded and waived in February, will miss the rest of the French League Finals with Monaco due to knee issues, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando.

And-Ones: Theis, Little, Award Races, Roster Decisions

March 29th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

When veteran center Daniel Theis was traded from New Orleans to Oklahoma City and then waived by the Thunder last month, there was a sense that he might draw some NBA interest from teams in need of center depth. But just days after clearing waivers, Theis reached an agreement to sign with AS Monaco.

In six EuroLeague games with his new team, Theis has posted impressive averages of 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 24.0 minutes per contest, helping to lead Monaco to a 4-2 record as the club looks to secure a top-four spot in the regular season standings. Given his individual and team success so far in Europe, the German big man isn’t having any second thoughts about his decision to head back overseas after seven-and-a-half NBA seasons.

“I feel great. I have no regrets at all,” Theis told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops. “We have a great a team and we have a big goal ahead of us. It’s all I’m thinking about right now.”

Theis’ contract with Monaco is said to run through the 2025/26 season, so there’s no indication he’ll be looking to return to the NBA this summer.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Former first-round pick Nassir Little has been playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League this season. He spoke to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) this week about his experience in the NBAGL, why he opted against playing overseas, and whether he has received NBA interest during the season. “Multiple teams called,” Little said. “But a lot of this comes down to tax stuff and roster spots and all that stuff, so it just hasn’t happened so far.”
A handful of ESPN’s NBA reporters discuss a series of questions related to the award races, including which players they’d pick for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, which Most Improved Player candidate is on a superstar track, and whether or not the NBA should tweak its 65-game rule. ESPN’s panel favors Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Nikola Jokic for MVP, but is divided on which player is most deserving of DPOY honors.
Keith Smith of Spotrac highlights some late-season roster situations to keep an eye on, identifying which teams still have open 15-man roster spots and which two-way players might still be candidates for promotions to standard contracts.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN takes a deep dive into the rise in three-point attempts in recent years, explaining why the NBA hasn’t viewed it as an issue that needs to be addressed and exploring whether the number of outside shots could continue to increase going forward.

Daniel Theis Signs With AS Monaco

February 17th, 2025 at 7:09am CST by Arthur Hill

February 17: The signing is official, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.

February 11: Theis has committed to sign with AS Monaco and is finalizing an agreement with the team, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

According to Urbonas, Theis drew interest from NBA teams and received a more lucrative offer from Panathinaikos, but the big man is seeking a situation in which he can play a significant role.

If Theis ends up signing a multiyear contract, it will likely include an NBA opt-out clause, Urbonas adds.

February 9: Daniel Theis is considering a return to the EuroLeague after being waived by the Thunder this week, and AS Monaco appears to be the favorite to sign him, according to Greek outlet SDNA.

Theis, who joined the Pelicans as a free agent during the offseason, was traded to Oklahoma City at Thursday’s deadline along with a 2031 second-round draft pick. Unloading his minimum-salary contract enabled New Orleans to move beneath the luxury tax threshold.

Theis has cleared waivers and is free to sign with any NBA team, but there may not be an offer available for the 32-year-old big man. He played for four EuroLeague teams before coming to the NBA in 2017, and a return to Europe may be his best option.

SDNA reports that Monaco “has taken a big lead” in the competition for Theis due in part to his familiarity with its personnel. He worked with assistant coach Ilias Kantzouris for three seasons at Brose Bamberg from 2014-17.

Panathinaikos has also expressed an interest in Theis and is reportedly willing to outbid Monaco, according to SDNA. However, money may not be the primary factor as Theis considers his next move.

Theis has played for six teams during his eight NBA seasons, starting with Boston, which signed him in 2017. He was traded to Chicago at the 2021 deadline and then to Houston later that year. He also had brief stints with Indiana and the Clippers before coming to New Orleans.

He has appeared in 411 total NBA games, making 160 starts and averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per night.

Theis is also a prominent name in international basketball, serving as the starting center on the undefeated German team that won the World Cup in 2023.

Thunder Waive Daniel Theis

February 6th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder have waived Daniel Theis, the team announced in a press release.

Oklahoma City acquired Theis and a 2031 second-round pick in a trade with New Orleans on Wednesday. The pick will be either the Pelicans’ or Magic’s, whichever is least favorable.

It was a salary-dump move for the Pelicans, and obviously Theis wasn’t in the Thunder’s plans either. The eight-year veteran appeared in 38 games for New Orleans in 2024/25, averaging 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 16.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting slash line of .473/.243/.838.

At 6’8″, Theis is undersized for a center, which has been his primary position in the NBA. Still, the 32-year-old German could provide some depth in the middle for a team seeking a reserve big man.

Theis was on a minimum-salary contract, so the Thunder will carry a dead-money cap hit of about $2.1MM if he passes through waivers. Assuming he goes unclaimed, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in a couple days and will be able to sign with any team except New Orleans.

Oklahoma City now has 14 players on standard contracts. Rookie center Branden Carlson has signed a pair of 10-day deals with the Thunder and can only be re-signed if he’s given a rest-of-season standard contract or is brought back on a two-way deal, the latter of which would require OKC to either release a player or promote one.

Pelicans Trade Daniel Theis, Second-Round Pick To Thunder

February 5th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21 pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Thunder, who sent out cash considerations in exchange for Theis and either New Orleans’ or Orlando’s 2031 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

1:01 pm: The Pelicans are trading center Daniel Theis to the Thunder along with draft compensation, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Oklahoma City will receive a 2031 second-round pick in the deal, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). New Orleans previously traded swap rights on that pick to Orlando, so the Thunder will receive the least favorable of the Pelicans’ and Magic’s second-rounders in ’31.

It’s a salary dump for New Orleans, which had been operating about $1.4MM above the luxury tax line. The Pelicans are one of two NBA teams to have never paid the tax and weren’t about to start this season for a team that currently holds a 12-38 record.

Moving Theis’ $2.1MM minimum-salary contract, which expires at season’s end, allows the Pelicans to duck out of tax territory.

If New Orleans doesn’t make any additional trades today or tomorrow, this deal will leave the team with just 13 players on standard contracts. By NBA rule, the Pelicans would need to re-add a 14th man within two weeks of trading Theis. A prorated minimum-salary signing at that point would still allow them to narrowly remain below the tax threshold.

Despite their NBA-best 39-9 record, the Thunder aren’t constricted by the tax aprons like many of the league’s other contenders. Prior to this trade, Oklahoma City’s team salary had been hovering right around $160MM, giving the club plenty of room below the $170.8MM tax line to take on additional money.

The Thunder also have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so they won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Theis, who can be acquired using the minimum salary exception.

It’s unclear if the Thunder plan to hang onto Theis after acquiring him or if they’re just making the deal for the draft compensation. The veteran center could provide some frontcourt depth in OKC after averaging 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 16.3 minutes per game across 38 outings (nine starts) for the Pelicans.

A rookie big man, Branden Carlson, has occupied the Thunder’s 15th roster spot for much of the season to date, first on a non-guaranteed contract and then on a pair of 10-day deals. If the team hangs onto Theis and doesn’t make any additional moves to open spots on its 15-man roster, a two-way deal would be the only path for Carlson to rejoin the squad.

Pelicans Rumors: Ingram, Hawks, Tax, Theis, Green, Robinson-Earl, Boston

February 4th, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks are among the teams who’ve called the Pelicans to gauge the price tag on forward Brandon Ingram, league sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta’s interest in Ingram was previously reported by The Stein Line.

Ingram, who has a 15 percent trade kicker unless he chooses to waive it, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Ingram has been out since Dec. 7 due to a left ankle sprain and there’s still no timetable for his return.

In talks between the Hawks and Pelicans, Scotto hears New Orleans would be reluctant to take back future salary, including the contract of Bogdan Bogdanovic, who’s owed $16MM for the 2025/26 season and has a team option worth $16MM for the 2026/27 season.

It still could be a hard sell for New Orleans to complete an Ingram deal. The Pelicans have been fielding offers for Ingram since last summer, but there hasn’t been much traction on a potential trade, The Athletic’s William Guillory reports.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Along with gauging interest in Ingram and his $36MM expiring contract, another item on the agenda for the Pelicans is ducking the luxury tax, Scotto adds. League executives anticipate that Daniel Theis ($2.8MM salary this season), Javonte Green ($2.425MM) and/or Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2MM) could be on the move.
Guillory said the franchise also must decide if it is committed to retaining Zion Williamson long-term and whether to obtain assets by trading CJ McCollum to a contender.
Once the trade deadline passes, there’s a strong belief the Pelicans will convert two-way guard Brandon Boston Jr. to a standard contract, according to Scotto. Boston has already appeared in 41 games, including 10 starts, averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.9 minutes. Two-way players have a 50-game limit before a team must decide whether to offer a standard deal, waive them, or leave them in the G League the rest of the season.