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With Mason Plumlee out of action for the next two months, Clippers will have to decide if they want to stand pat or make a trade.

First up in the backup big watch is Pacers center Daniel Theis. But he's not a center, more like a small forward, 6'8". Did win a gold medal with Germany in the FIBA World Cup, and was a part of the Celtics team that reached the 2022 NBA Finals.

Jack Simone of 8 Points 9 Seconds from the Fansided branch proposed three trade scenarios that could occur if Clippers went after Theis.

Option 1: Mason Plumlee, Amir Coffey, Brandon Boston Jr., 2nd round pick for Daniel Theis
Option 2: Kobe Brown, Mason Plumlee, Brandon Boston Jr. for Daniel Theis
Option 3: Norman Powell, Mason Plumlee, Amir Coffey, Brandon Boston Jr., 1st round pick for Daniel Theis and Buddy Hield

All these options are bad. One has giving up on rookies, one has giving up on draft picks, one has giving up both plus chemistry. The bonus for the third one is tied to a curse. Hield has never made the playoffs in his seven years with the league, so appropriately, if Clippers get Buddy Hield as part of the Theis deal, they will automatically miss the playoffs. But given the Clipper's losing history, what are the odds Pacers pull off a 76ers by going for a farm trade involving Plumlee, Coffey, Boston, Brown, Powell and Zubac, plus the picks, and perhaps another assist from Thunder? The 2nd apron situation which bars Clippers from acquiring buyout players forces them to resort to trades, and the Harden trade exasperated those restrictions in more ways than one.

There are other players the Clippers may look to for backup bigs, Dwight Howard came up, Kai Jones gets rehabilitation just like Clippers are great at doing, and also a reunion with Blake Griffin.

None of these options are looking good; in fact, any one of them can be a nail in the coffin for SoCal. And remember, a single ejection to Leonard or George is the end of the Clippers, and a forced rebuild inevitable.

I posted this in the transaction thread:

Wenyen Gabriel?
JaMychal Green?
Rudy Gay?
Nerlens Noel?
Dewayne Dedmon?

Clippers got to be making some phone calls right now right? They need another big man on the roster sooner than later after the Plumlee injury.

I would prefer the Clippers sign a current free agent right now if possible while shopping around for a trade to fill the gap.

If we give up BJ and/or Kobe for Theis, I'm waiving the white flag until Dunleavy returns as GM.

A name not mentioned above I wouldn't mind is Jordan Bell.

ejftw wrote:If we give up BJ and/or Kobe for Theis, I'm waiving the white flag until Dunleavy returns as GM.

It would take Boston, Brown, Bones, and Coffey.

Mann straight up works but if they weren’t going to include him for Harden then they wouldn’t for Theis. Who am I kidding they probably would.

Unless they make it bigger using Mann or Powell but I didn’t look that deep.

Do we have any trade exceptions?

Clippers have a trade exception from the Reggie Jackson trade worth $2.13 million.

Instead of making another bad trade can't we just sign someone to a 10 day? Rather not trade people and picks away for freaking Daniel Theis or Hield (who provides no defense). Green is washed, Gabriel is a hard worker and great energy guy but will get bullied. Last resort Boogie since he can stretch the floor but his defense sucks. I'd prefer someone more defense oriented. Might as well sign Dwight with how goofy this roster is getting.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/273627/Clippers-Interested-In-Trading-For-Daniel-Theis

Liked what I've seen of Theis, gets after it defensively, on glass, and isn't nothing on offense either - wouldn't be a mediocre option at backup C or third string either (in case Plumlee is back this year).

Wonder what package would go out?

I've given up on ever expecting Frank not to make a moronic impulse trade, so I'm sure he's about to trade everyone under 30 for Theis and we're going to suck even worse.

Some encouraging news I guess.

Scoundreldays wrote:Instead of making another bad trade can't we just sign someone to a 10 day? Rather not trade people and picks away for freaking Daniel Theis or Hield (who provides no defense).

A nice visitor to our board on another thread pointed out that 10-Day contracts aren't permitted yet.

NBA teams become eligible to sign players to 10-day contracts starting from January 5, 2024 during the 2023-24 season.

Scott Agnees of Fieldhouse Files, via Luke Adams wrote:There’s a “growing belief” that the Clippers will add Daniel Theis to their roster soon, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, citing a league source. As Agness acknowledges, Theis would likely need to reach a buyout agreement with the Pacers to get to Los Angeles, since the Clippers aren’t well positioned to trade for him. L.A.’s interest in the veteran center was previously reported.

Clippers would still have to trade because of the 2nd apron situation. They will need to ship at least two players out in order to sign Theis.

Wammy Giveaway wrote:

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Scott Agnees of Fieldhouse Files, via Luke Adams wrote:There’s a “growing belief” that the Clippers will add Daniel Theis to their roster soon, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, citing a league source. As Agness acknowledges, Theis would likely need to reach a buyout agreement with the Pacers to get to Los Angeles, since the Clippers aren’t well positioned to trade for him. L.A.’s interest in the veteran center was previously reported.

Clippers would still have to trade because of the 2nd apron situation. They will need to ship at least two players out in order to sign Theis.

Why what does this guy bring? Seems just like a panic trade.

Sounds like Theis is on the way soon.

It's official: Clippers will sign Daniel Theis after buyout. But because they're in the 2nd apron, they will have to make a trade first before Theis can officially join them.

Why do they have to make a trade? I thought someone said the restriction from signing a buyout player doesn’t take affect until next season.

No mention of having to make a trade first.

Explains why we don’t have to make trade first.

Just want to throw this up here since it's a post about bigs, the grass over in Philly -

lol

I always got Plumlee and Theis mixed up ... now they are on the same team. I like these two.