Former Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis signs with New Orleans Pelicans

Former Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis has signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, according to the NBA’s transaction log. An agreement between the player and the team was reported earlier this week.

Theis, 32, played just over a full season with Indiana, with that stint ending during the most recent campaign. The German big man was sent to the Pacers along with Aaron Nesmith in a summer 2022 trade, but injuries delayed his debut with the blue and gold.

The veteran center didn’t play a game for Indiana until February 2023, and he’s played seven of his team’s next nine games since then. But the Pacers moved up to No. 5 young by that point, and Theis was relegated to reserve.

With young bigs Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson showing improvement last season, Theis was pushed to the bottom of Indiana’s depth chart in 2023-24. He played just one game for the blue and gold that season before agreeing to a buyout and joining the Los Angeles Clippers, where he finished most of the recent season.

Theis was unhappy with his minutes in Indiana, playing in just eight games for the franchise. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game for the team — and he increased those numbers to 6.3 and 4.1, respectively, with the Clippers.

Now, just one season removed from training camp with Indiana, Theis is headed to New Orleans. The Pelicans lack depth at center, so Theis could see significant playing time with the Pelicans.