More than two weeks since the 2018 NBA free agency started, restricted free agent Clint Capela is yet to sign a new contract. The Houston Rockets have already expressed strong interest in re-signing their starting center and reportedly gave him an initial offer of a five-year, $85 million contract. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old center felt undervalued and rejected the offer, believing he deserves a better deal in free agency.
With their contract disagreement, rumors and speculations started to circulate that Clint Capela could part ways with the Rockets this offseason. However, Capela is a restricted free agent, and the Rockets only need to match the offer from other NBA teams just to bring him back. Also, Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reported that Capela is still expected to re-sign with the Rockets despite declining their previous offer.
“Multiple league sources still expect the #Rockets to resign Clint Capela, despite him previously turning down Houston’s 5-year, $85M offer.”
According to Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report , the Rockets can’t afford to lose Clint Capela, especially now that Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute are playing for another team. Losing Capela will tremendously decrease the Rockets’ chance of beating the reigning NBA Champions, Golden State Warriors, next season.
“Without Capela, the Rockets could lose their status as main challenger to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. Losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute were blows to the team’s depth, and it tried to recoup its losses a bit by bringing in James Ennis. Capela is the defensive enforcer the Rockets are going to need in the postseason against the Warriors, especially now with DeMarcus Cousins in the Golden State lineup.”
REPORT: Insiders Expect Rockets to Re-Sign Clint Capela Despite Rejected Deals https://t.co/9ohlx1qyFI pic.twitter.com/JIsWW0nAXs
— MSN Philippines (@msnph) July 16, 2018
With their goal to win an NBA championship title, the Rockets should prioritize bringing Clint Capela back to their roster. Capela has played a major role in the Rockets’ success in the 2017-18 NBA season where they reached the Western Conference finals and forced a Game 7 against the Warriors. In 74 games he played last season, Capela averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 65.2 percent shooting from the field.
The 24-year-old is a dominant presence on both ends of the floor. The Rockets will need more of him when they face the Warriors, who recently acquired All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, in the Western Conference Playoffs 2019. Unlike Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, the Rockets will have a hard time finding Capela’s replacement. As of now, it remains unknown how long the contract negotiation between Capela and the Rockets will last, but it is highly likely that the young center will be returning in Houston for another season.
