Houston’s looking like Warrior-busters with Clint in the fold.
The NBA’s eventful free agency carousel couldn’t officially come to an end until Houston Rockets center Clint Capela either re-signed with the Rockets or found a new home.
He was reportedly was seeking a contract in the $100 million range and Houston was hesitant to commit to those numbers, especially for a traditional center in today’s wide open, three-point stroking NBA.
Now that Capela signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Rockets on Friday, we can look forward to the NBA season and begin to paint an accurate picture of what the landscape will look like going forward.
Houston Rockets on Twitter
@CapelaClint Free agent center Clint Capela has been re-signed. Full Story : https://t.co/6PQdnIf2U5
It was common knowledge that Capela would return to the Rockets, even with Carmelo Anthony’s impending arrival. It was simply a matter of how much money he would get.
The 6-foot-10, 24-year-old has developed into a multi-threat cog on Houston’s championship-caliber squad. He’s a perfect target for Chris Paul to deliver his patented lobs to on offense and his shot-blocking and defensive capabilities are crucial to Houston being a complete team.
NBA MVP James Harden is certainly in approval of the deal. According to Harden, who didn’t even know about the signing until a reporter told him at USA basketball practice, its bigger than basketball.
With his family set for generations, Capela can turn his attention to being a difference maker on the court. He’s a throwback, post-first big man, which is rare in this NBA, but his skill set fits with Houston’s scheme perfectly and adds a presence that makes the Rockets less susceptible to low post attacks than most teams.
Rockets give Clint Capela extension, Carmelo Anthony coming aboard is imminent | SportsCenter | ESPN
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski explains how the Houston Rockets and Clint Capela were able to agree on a 5-year, $90 million extension. Wojnarowski also provides an update on Carmelo Anthony and says that him joining the Rockets is imminent.
So maybe Capela wasn’t worth $100 million to Houston, but the fact that he got $90 million is far from an insult and shows the team’s long-term commitment to him.
His presence, along with the inevitable arrival of Melo also makes Houston a legitimate challenger to Golden States Dynasty.
Houston pushed the Warriors to seven games last season and if not for an unfortunate injury to CP3, Mike D’Antoni’s squad may have upset the defending NBA champions.
When the Warriors signed Boogie Cousins on the cheap, anti-Warrior fans moaned and ached about the abundance of talent they had. With Capela back in the fold, Houston has to be content with the team they have.
There aren’t many players in the league like Capela anymore. He poses problems for the competition with his size, length and his willingness to do the dirty work, while James Harden and CP3 freely chase buckets.
The Lakers and Golden State will go through some changes over the next three to four years, but Houston has its most important players locked down financially.
Salman Ali on Twitter
The Houston Rockets have Chris Paul, James Harden, and Clint Capela locked in under contract until 2022.
If Houston is able to finally get over that hump and advance to the NBA finals, Capela is sure to play a huge role. And signing him may end up being the move of the offseason and that’s saying a lot, considering LeBron James signed with the Lakers, immediately changing the balance of power in both conferences.
The numbers seem to support this. The Rockets were 50-5 during the regular season last year in games in which CP3, Harden, and Capela played together. Those percentages didn’t change much in the playoffs and its scary to think that they might even improve this season.
