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The Houston Rockets' offseason continues to get better as they reunite with Clint Capela.
Capela will sign a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Rockets, ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Monday.
“Free agent center Clint Capela has agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Major frontcourt addition – and return to Houston for Capela,” Charania said.
The Rockets will complete the move via sign-and-trade. They will send a 2031 second-round pick and cash to the Atlanta Hawks to carry out the transaction, per NBA insider Brett Siegel.
Houston selected Capela with the 25th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. He represented them for six seasons as he made his way up the rotation until securing the starting job. Departing in the 2020 offseason, he averaged 12.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game after 334 appearances.
This past season with the Atlanta Hawks saw him produce 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and a block per contest after 55 games.
What's next for Rockets after landing Clint Capela
With Clint Capela returning to Houston, the Rockets have stacked up their center position with quality big men.
They have Alperen Sengun commanding the starter spot while Capela and Steven Adams will handle the backup minutes. It's clear that the Rockets will prioritize depth in the frontcourt in case injuries happen during the regular season.
And when it comes to playoff experience, Capela has a lot of it. He's played in eight postseasons, the deepest being his three Conference Finals runs with the Rockets in 2015 and 2018 and Hawks in 2021.
This will greatly benefit Houston as they will have centers who will rebound the ball at a high rate while being solid rim-protectors. Even though Capela continues to be inconsistent at the free-throw line, he makes up for it with his rebounding and physicality inside the arc.
The Rockets will continue to progress through the offseason, especially after landing Dorian Finney-Smith from the Los Angeles Lakers. It is clear that Houston is going all in on the championship push, boasting Sengun, Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Fred VanVleet as their core. Adding Capela to their bench rotation only improves their chances of being a serious threat next season.
