The 2021-22 Houston Rockets are in the midst of a historic in-season turnaround, immediately going from 15 straight losses and a 1-16 start to seven consecutive wins entering Friday.

So, what changed? The biggest difference — and it coincided perfectly with the start of the winning streak — is that they became smaller. Head coach Stephen Silas moved big man Christian Wood back to center, which is where he drew All-Star consideration during the 2020-21 season, and flanked the 26-year-old with shooting at all other positions.

That shifted veteran center Daniel Theis to the bench, and in many cases, out of the rotation entirely. Theis still brings a physical, defensive presence whenever he plays, but floor-spacing issues have made it to where the defensive advantage of playing Theis with Wood is usually outweighed by the problems it creates on offense. Moreover, the importance of developing rookie big Alperen Sengun off the bench makes it hard for Theis to find minutes behind Wood, as well.

In a new interview with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Silas said he feels for Theis but understands why the change had to be made.

The numbers were showing we weren’t having success when we were big. The eye test was showing we weren’t having a lot of success. We were losing. The hard part is I really value Theis as a player and as a person. I don’t want him to feel like he was the reason we were the way we were. … It’s just easier to play five out when you have Christian at the five.

It’s possible that Theis could still have a role in certain matchups. For example, during Sunday’s win over the Pelicans (the sixth of the ongoing streak), Theis played 17 minutes as a means of matching up defensively and on the glass with physical big man Jonas Valančiūnas.

But barring an injury to Wood, it feels as though Theis’ time as a rotation fixture with the Rockets has run its course. As an offseason signing, the 29-year-old is eligible to be traded on Dec. 15 (i.e. next week), and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if general manager Rafael Stone strongly explores that market. After all, as Silas indicated, it’s not that Theis lacks NBA value — it’s just a challenging fit with Houston’s current roster.

There are questions-about Dame Time, Miles Bridges’ star turn and future earnings, and the Rockets’ shocking 180-that need answering. Attempts to do so follow, in ⁦@TheAthletic⁩: https://t.co/PyMadfNGmN

— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) December 10, 2021