Dallas Mavericks: Pros and Cons of trading for Clint Capela

SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 30: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the San Antonio Spurs on November 30, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images /

Pro: Addresses areas of concern

Although Capela is limited offensively, he does help the Mavericks in areas they struggled with last season. He would be an immediate contributor in areas concerning defense and rebounding.

Last season, the Mavericks ranked 18th in defensive rating. They were 16th in rebounds and 26th in blocks as well. In 2017-18, The Houston Rockets ranked 6th in defensive rating behind Clint Capela, who started in all 74 games he played in.

The Rockets took a step back in 2018-19 with injuries to various key players, but Capela stepped up in more than one way.

Capela’s 12.7 rebounds per game ranked fifth in the league and would be more than anyone on Dallas’ current roster. He’s mobile and quick on defense, allowing him to deliver clutch blocks, as he did in Game 4 against the Utah Jazz in this year’s postseason.

Capela blocked five shots in the final three minutes of regulation, the only player to do so in the last 20 seasons.

What makes Capela so valuable on defense isn’t just his ability to go straight up and block big men like Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert, but also how he can stick to guards and forwards driving to the basket.

There are still areas to improve upon, as Capela does not shoot the 3-ball and also struggles from the free-throw line, shooting just 63.6 percent. He’ll provide a consistent inside presence, however, and be able to cover up mistakes on the defensive end.

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