Clippers Rumors: Daniel Theis Trade Eyed with Pacers amid Mason Plumlee Injury
The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly interested in trading for Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis in the wake of news that big man Mason Plumlee will miss as much as two months with a sprained MCL.
Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic delivered the report.
Theis, 31, averaged 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game over seven contests (one start) for the Pacers in 2022-23. He underwent right knee surgery and missed most of the season. Theis returned in February but fell out of the rotation. He hasn't played at all in 2023-24.
Understandably, Theis isn't happy about being held out of the rotation.
"Obviously after a great summer, I'm not happy with the situation I'm in right now," Theis told Brian Robb of MassLive in part.
"I want to play and take all the good stuff from the summer into the season but it's a long season. We are going to see what's going on and what's happening."
Meanwhile, the Clippers have gotten off to a disappointing 3-4 start. L.A. now has James Harden in the mix, but the early returns haven't been great for the offense after two losses to the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets in which they failed to score 100 points each time.
Now Plumlee, a valuable backup to Ivica Zubac who is easily capable of starting himself, is on the shelf.
Theis, who just excelled for Germany en route to winning gold at the FIBA World Cup, could certainly be the answer. If Indiana doesn't have plans for him to play, and L.A. has a need, then this seems like an easy trade to make.
