2018 NBA free agency grades: Rockets will keep Clint Capela

The Houston Rockets have officially come to terms with center Clint Capela on a five-year, $90 million extension to remain in Clutch City.

Despite failing to make a major splash throughout the early part of free agency, the Houston Rockets found a way to do so by retaining one of their most prized possessions this week.

After standing at a virtual impasse throughout the entire month of July, the Rockets finally came to terms with Clint Capela on a five-year, $90 million extension to remain with the franchise through the 2022-23 regular season, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire.

"“I’m happy for him,” Rockets guard James Harden said to reporters after receiving the news at the USA Basketball minicamp in Las Vegas. “I’ve seen him work his butt off these last few years. He listens, he learns, he goes out there and just competes.”"

Capela — who had previously been a restricted free agent — averaged a career-high 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game through 74 contests for Houston last year and emerged as a critical piece in the Rockets ascendance atop of the Western Conference standings.

The 24-year-old finished the 2017-18 campaign ranked in the top 15 in Player Efficiency Rating and True Shooting Percentage.

Capela also joined some exclusive company as just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 13 points per game on 65 percent or better shooting.

The others on that list are Wilt Chamberlain, Artis Gilmore and Rudy Gobert.

https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1022957959482171392

Although Capela’s brand new deal will push the Rockets’ payroll up to $136 million this upcoming season, the return of the Swiss Bank should likely help to alleviate the concern of fans throughout Clutch City.

Houston was able to officially lock up and prevent their young star from hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

While figuring out a way to keep him intact for the foreseeable future, as the 6-foot-9, 240-pound force is one of the game’s premier big men when it comes to setting screens, protecting the rim and running the floor.

Capela has also proven himself to be an above-average finisher on shots around the rim, courtesy of Harden and Chris Paul, throughout his four-year tenure with the Rockets.

The two dynamic playmakers who each sought to find Capela throughout last season within pick-and-roll sets which Houston used to create early offense, involving Capela slipping through a screen or heading down the lane to either draw defenders out of position and force them to switch and come onto either Harden or Paul on plays such as these:

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Now, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey can officially seek to build his roster around Harden, Paul and Capela.

That trio that will be around for the next few years and helped guide Houston to a 42-3 record when in the lineup during the regular season en route to the Western Conference Finals, as Capela is arguably the most ideal center in Houston’s motion, 3-point heavy offense.

With very few teams in need of the services that he provides, it was only right that Houston sought to provide Capela with a deal of this magnitude.

The Rockets kept Capela on a contract less than fellow centers Steven Adams (four years, $100 million) and Hassan Whiteside (four years, $98 million) — with an extra year — and that could prove to be one of the biggest bargains in the near future for the Rockets.

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Houston is organization to which he is currently worth more to than any other in the league right now.

Grade: A

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