Maccabi Tel Aviv Signs Veteran Center Daniel Theis for 2026/27 Season

Maccabi Tel Aviv announced the signing of Daniel Theis on a two-year contract, making him a key player for coach Oded Katash in the 2026/27 season. Club chairman Shimon Mizrahi described the acquisition as "very significant," highlighting Theis's experience and defensive contributions. Katash emphasized Theis's versatility and winning mentality, noting his achievements including NBA and EuroLeague experience and international titles with Germany.

Theis, 34, standing 2.03 meters tall, is regarded as one of Europe's top centers. He spent the past seven seasons in the NBA, playing 411 games for teams including Boston, Chicago, Indiana, the LA Clippers, and New Orleans, averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. His best NBA season was 2019/20 with Boston, averaging 9.2 points and 6.6 rebounds.

About a year and a half ago, Theis returned to Europe to play for Monaco, where he maintained strong performance levels. Last season in the EuroLeague, he averaged 9.7 points, 5 rebounds, and shot 69.2% from the field, including a notable 17-point game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. The signing followed lengthy negotiations and awaited Theis's release from Monaco, which faced financial difficulties leading to budget cuts.

Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to bolster its frontcourt, with plans to finalize the signing of center Armando Bacot to complement Theis and Roman Sorkin. Meanwhile, the club monitors the recovery of T.J. Leaf and Gur Lavi from injuries sustained last season, expecting at least one to be ready for the new season's start.