One year ago, Daniel Theis was about to begin his first NBA season. He was in a new country, with a new team, learning to adjust to his new surroundings. Despite the unfamiliar territory, it quickly became clear that Theis wasn’t some ordinary rookie.
The relatively unknown German center fit perfectly into the Celtics rotation, giving them invaluable front court depth that many teams spend seasons searching for. He was efficient on the offensive side of the ball, strong on the glass, and an impact defender underneath. By late December, Theis was playing double-digit minutes virtually every night and quickly became one of the best minimum contract players in the entire league.