Houston Rockets: 3 reasons to re-sign Clint Capela
By Jason Elbaum
Houston Rockets center Clint Capela improved tremendously in the final year of his contract, so the team should do whatever it takes to keep him on the roster.
Say what you will about the reasons Houston Rockets center Clint Capela had a breakout season, but there is no denying that his uptick in production will make him a valuable commodity on the free agent market this summer.
Some will say that the addition of Chris Paul largely contributed to the number of easy baskets Capela found himself with throughout the season. However, it was clear that the 23-year-old center’s confidence was increasing every game, and it showed on the stat sheet.
Capela finished the season averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and blocks while leading the entire NBA in field goal percentage. Obviously, a majority of the seven-footer’s shooting opportunities were easy dunks and put-backs, but it is still impressive for Capela to convert on these chances enough to be the best scorer in the league purely in terms of makes and attempts.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, Capela’s improvement in the final season of his contract means that he’ll be looking to sign a deal that allows him to be paid similarly to the top big men in the league. Other teams have certainly taken notice of Capela’s talent and will be lining up their offers when free agency begins on July 1.
The good news for Houston is that Capela is a restricted free agent, so the team can match any contract offered to their starting center. The question is how much are the Rockets willing to pay Capela given their other offseason priorities such as re-signing Chris Paul, and possibly making a play for LeBron James.
Let’s take a look at three reasons Houston should absolutely re-sign the Swiss big man.