With Trae Young and Dejounte Murray as their focal points, the Atlanta Hawks will be entering the 2023-24 NBA season with the expectations of not only making the playoffs, but going on yet another postseason run, similar to the one they went on in 2021 when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Already trading away John Collins this offseason, Clint Capela could be the next big name to be moved in Atlanta.
The Eastern Conference is going to be wide open heading into the new season. Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics remain the teams to beat given their All-Star cores, but any team could realistically go on a run, much like the Miami Heat did this past season.
The Hawks have one of the better backcourt duos in the league, they have a solid blend of youth and veterans talents and they have a head coach in Quin Snyder who knows what it takes to win at the highest level possible. Onyeka Okongwu has stood out in the Hawks' frontcourt over the last couple of seasons and by potentially elevating him to the starting rotation, Atlanta could look to get immediate value on the trade market for Capela.
At this moment, no trade seems imminent involving the Hawks' big man, but they are active in trade discussions around the league and have made it known that Capela is available for the right price. Set to make $20.6 million this upcoming year, Capela only has two more seasons left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
Now is the best time for Atlanta to move him, which is why his name has generated some buzz around the league. Although the market for centers who cannot stretch their offensive game to the perimeter is limited, there are a few teams who could express interest in Capela both before and during the 2023-24 season.
Dallas Mavericks
It is no secret that the Dallas Mavericks are eyeing Clint Capela, as his name comes up time and time again regarding this team trying to upgrade their frontcourt. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs are looking to change their recent misfortunes quickly and get back to the playoffs.
This offseason, they upgraded their roster with the additions of Grant Williams, Seth Curry and Richaun Holmes, plus they added length and defensive depth with their two first-round picks in Olivier Maxence-Prosper and Dereck Lively II. While they did re-sign Dwight Powell at the center position, the Mavericks are still in need of an effective big man who can elevate this team offensively in pick-and-roll sets.
Not to mention, Dallas ranked last in the league in rebounding a season ago, so adding one of the top rebounders in the league wouldn't be such a bad idea.
The Mavs do have over $160 million on the books for the 2023-24 season already, so going out and trading for a player on a $20 million contract may look impossible. However, Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee are two veterans Dallas could look to leverage for the right player and they are set to make over $22 million combined.
Who knows if the Hawks would even want either player, but the Mavs want Capela and there are paths to them landing him before the new season begins.
San Antonio Spurs
One of the league's most historic and successful franchises, the San Antonio Spurs have struggled to remain relevant in the Western Conference over the last handful of years. Even though they won just 22 games last season, the good news for the Spurs is that Victor Wembanyama has re-energized this fan base and is set to usher in the next era of success for this organization.
When you look at what the Spurs have right now, the potential on their roster definitely raises some eyebrows. Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are both talented scoring weapons on the perimeter and other recent draft picks such as Malaki Branham and Jeremy Sochan are going to continue to grow into key contributors.
There's a lot to like about the Spurs moving forward and it is not hard to believe that they could contend for a spot in the Play-In Tournament with Wembanyama leading the charge. It appears as if the Spurs will be rolling out a two-big lineup and while Zach Collins played well last season, adding Capela alongside Wemby could instantly make the Spurs unstoppable in the paint and on the glass given their length.
Whereas this year's first overall pick is a modern-day big man who can play virtually anywhere on the floor, Capela flourishes in pick-and-roll sets offensively while dominating in the paint as a rebounder. It is not hard to envision a player like Capela setting screens for Wembanyama out on the perimeter either if they were to play with one another.
Having a one-two punch that could rebound together on both ends of the floor is a highly advantageous thought for the Spurs and this franchise has the ability to still go out and move contracts around. Devonte' Graham, Cedi Osman, Reggie Bullock and Cam Payne are all experienced, veteran players who could aid the Hawks right away and a combination of them could be packaged together in order for the Spurs to land Capela.
This is not a likely scenario, but you never know in the NBA!
Golden State Warriors
As long as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are healthy, the Golden State Warriors have a chance to beat anyone in this league. However, these three stars are not getting any younger and depth is going to be extremely important to the Warriors moving forward. It's also worth mentioning that Golden State's lack of size and rebounders outside of Kevon Looney has hurt them through the years.
The Warriors have not have a true center who can control the paint in ages and while what they have with Looney works, adding a player like Capela definitely wouldn't hurt.
Right now, the Warriors own the league's highest payroll and they are severely limited terms of moves they can make. None of their three core members will ever be traded and it is extremely unlikely Golden State will ever look to move Andrew Wiggins or Looney either. This makes pursuing a player like Capela tough, but come mid-season, the Warriors may be aggressive with Chris Paul's contract.
Going out and trading for Paul was puzzling, but it is truly one of the more underrated moves any team made this offseason. The Warriors may very well be setting themselves up to make a bigger move at the trade deadline and having Paul on a $30 million expiring contract could present a lot of value for any team needing backcourt help and/or wanting to get out of a long-term contract.
Seeing as the Hawks do not need a lead guard like Paul, it is unlikely this trade scenario would have legs, but a multi-team deal involving Capela going to the Warriors at the deadline is certainly something to ponder. Whether it is pursuing a big man or someone else, Golden State definitely has the ability to make a huge move with Paul's expiring contract this upcoming year.
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