Houston Rockets: Complete 2018 offseason grades
Re-signing Clint Capela
Despite standing at a virtual standoff in negotiations for over 25 days this summer, Houston found a way to hold onto to one of the game’s best young centers in basketball.
Just days after signing Hartenstein to a three-year deal, the Rockets officially came to terms with Clint Capela on a five-year, $90 million deal to remain with the franchise through the 2022-23 season.
Capela — who was a restricted free agent — averaged a career-high 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game through 74 games for Houston last year,and emerged as a critical piece in the Rockets’ ascendance atop of the Western Conference standings.
Capela also became the first player in Rockets history to lead the league in field goal percentage during the regular season.
"“I’m happy for him,” Rockets guard James Harden said to reporters after receiving the news at the USA Basketball minicamp in Las Vegas last month. “I’ve seen him work his butt off these last few years. He listens, he learns, he goes out there and just competes.”"
Although Capela’s brand new deal proved to be the mark in which pushed 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 lock up Capela and prevent one of their most prized assets from hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Rockets did so on a contract that is less than what fellow centers Steven Adams (four years, $100 million) and Hassan Whiteside (four years, $98 million) are currently signed to with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat respectively.
The 6’9″, 240-pound force is already one of the game’s premier big men when it comes to setting screens, protecting the rim and running the floor within the Rockets vaulted pick-and-roll, motion-style offense.
Should he continue to improve upon his all-around game, Capela could arguably become one of the biggest bargains in the near future for the Rockets, as the 24-year-old star is worth more to Houston than arguably any other team in the league right now.
Grade: A+