The start of the 2023-24 NBA season has been a rocky one for the Los Angeles Clippers. They are navigating a massive change to their roster, as head coach Tyronn Lue is attempting to work James Harden into the team. Adding a player of that caliber to the mix after the season starts is certainly not easy.
On top of that, Lue has to figure out his rotation with numerous key players involved in the deal. Not only did the Clippers have to sacrifice rotation players to land Harden, but they are already dealing with a player hit by the injury bug.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Los Angeles is expected to be without center Mason Plumlee for at least two months because of an MCL sprain in his knee. Plumless helped solidify the Clippers frontcourt last season behind Ivica Zubac after being acquired from the Charlotte Hornets in a trade.
With Plumlee sidelined, the backup center on the Clippers’ depth chart is P.J. Tucker, who was acquired along with Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers. That is likely why Charania is reporting that the team is also showing interest in acquiring a veteran center.
He revealed that the Clippers are considering making a move for Daniel Thies of the Indiana Pacers. Theis has yet to play this season and has been vocal about the displeasure he has with his role. He would likely welcome a trade, but the Pacers aren’t in any rush to make a trade centered around Theis. However, they are open to a potential move.
Theis had an excellent offseason playing for Germany in the FIBA World Cup. He helped the team take home the gold medal, averaging 11 points and five rebounds per game while making 59 percent of his shots.
In his seventh season in the NBA, Theis would be a nice insurance policy for the Clippers in the frontcourt. He has plenty of big-game experience from his time with the Boston Celtics earlier in his career and can certainly fill the void left by Plumlee’s injury for as long as he is sidelined.
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