2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Clint Capela: 5 years, $90 million (Houston Rockets)

After months of being unable to come to an agreement, Clint Capela and the Houston Rockets have arrived at a five-year, $90 million contract that should make both sides happy … though general manager Daryl Morey is certainly on the happier end of that spectrum.

After Houston dished out a whopping four-year, $160 million deal to retain Chris Paul through his mid-30s, Capela figured to be the next order of business. Unfortunately, in the process, the Rockets lost valuable wing defenders and floor-spacers in Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, replacing them with James Ennis and Michael Carter-Williams and losing ground on the almighty Golden State Warriors.

For all the drawbacks on Houston’s summer, retaining Capela was essential to ensuring this team would remain one of the two best teams in the Western Conference. At a mere $18 million a year, the Rockets are getting one of the best up-and-coming rim protectors and rim-runners in the league — better annual value than the likes of Zach LaVine and Jabari Parker.

Capela is coming off a career year in which he averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game on a league-leading 65.2 percent shooting. His value was obviously inflated by playing with two of the league’s best floor generals in Paul and James Harden, but he’s a perfect fit in Mike D’Antoni’s system, he’s only 24 years old, and in a tight market where other teams didn’t have the cap space to throw a max offer his way, the Rockets did well to hold out for this discounted price.

Bourguet Grade: A
Hoops Habit Grade: A