Former Celtics Fan Favorite Drawing European Interest

Daniel Theis spent three and a half seasons with the Boston Celtics between 2017 and 2021. He also returned to Boston for a 21-game stretch in 2022, before leaving the following summer.

During his tenure with the Celtics, Theis became a fan favorite. He was never a star-level talent on the roster. However, he always found ways to make a positive impact. He was a talented screener, often picked out smart passes, battled on the glass, and could stretch the floor when called upon.

Since leaving the Celtics, Theis bounced around the NBA. Stops with the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans followed. In fact, outside of his first spell with the Celtics, Theis never completed a season with the same team.

In February 2025, the Pelicans traded Theis once again, this time to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where the Thunder immediately released him. That allowed the talented big man to sign with Monaco. Now that we’re in the offseason, Theis is starting to draw interest around Europe.

According to Bojan Brezovac of Mozzart Sport, his most likely path will be to remain with Monaco moving forward. However, Partizan has also shown an interest.

“After the arrival of Dylan Osetkovski and Jabari Parker, silence reigned in Partizan Mozart Beta when it came to reinforcements,” Brezovac reported. “However, this does not mean that the sports sector of the club from Humska is sitting idly by – they are working hard to bring in a center…One of the candidates is the experienced Daniel Theis… The Black and Whites contacted the agent of the German (Theis) to check his status…And the information they received is: “Staying in Monaco is the most realistic.”

Celtics Close to Losing Another Center

While Theis left the Celtics multiple years ago, one of his former teammates, Al Horford, could head for the exit this summer. Horford has unrestricted free agent status. Reports have linked him with a potential move to the Golden State Warriors.

However, according to Marc J. Spears, his move to the Bay Area appears to have stalled.

“Golden State, obviously, expected him to sign last week. He didn’t,” Spears said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on July 14. “Lakers, Milwaukee, and Atlanta, I believe, are also interested in a nearly 40-year-old guy who also has retirement on the table…He’s still considering retiring; he’s not in any hurry. He’s got a sixth kid coming on the way, he lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason. But I’m hearing that whether it’s Golden State and to a lesser extent the Lakers, being away from the family that far isn’t going to be in that decision.”

Horford is yet to make a decision regarding his future. He could still choose to retire. However, if he is valuing another run at an NBA championship, either the Warriors or the Los Angeles Lakers would be strong options.

Celtics Could Target Marcus Smart

While we’re on the subject of long-tenured Celtics, Jake Weinbach recently postulated that Boston could explore a reunion with former fan-favorite guard Marcus Smart.

“A potential reunion between Marcus Smart and the Celtics would not be off the table,” Weinbach reported via X. “The Wizards, who now carry 17 players on the active roster, are expected to offload key veterans to make room for younger assets and would reportedly prefer to send Smart to a desired location.”

Smart has struggled for health since leaving Boston. He played in just 20 games for the Memphis Grizzlies before the team sent him to the Washington Wizards, where he suited up just 34 times. Therefore, teams could deem adding him to the rotation as a risk.

However, if Stevens is looking to re-tool the roster for when Jayson Tatum returns from injury, Smart could be a trusty stopgap. The veteran guard’s contract expires next summer. Whether Boston would look to re-sign him would remain to be seen. Nevertheless, a return to the TD Garden would be a feel-good story heading into the new season.