Clint Capela was a huge part of the Houston Rockets' success last season and it would be wise for them to bring him back. Unfortunately, Capela is feeling undervalued by the Rockets according to Kelly Iko of The Rockets Wire. Iko also reports that Capela is looking for a deal in the neighborhood of Zach LaVine's four-year $80 million deal, but the Rockets are only interested in giving him something closer to Jusuf Nurkic's four-year $48 million deal.
Capela took a huge leap forward this year. He finished second in Most Improved Player voting this year, only behind Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers.
Capela's ability to run the pick and roll with James Harden and Chris Paul helped the Rockets take their offense to the next level this season. His extreme athleticism allowed him to benefit from a ton of lobs and pocket passes for dunks. This led to him leading the league in field goal percentage in 2017-18.
But his value goes beyond the offensive side of the ball. His length and ability to defend on the perimeter create matchup problems for opposing teams. Not to mention, he is an elite rim protector.
Houston would be wise to show Capela that they value him. They wouldn't have taken the Golden State Warriors to the brink of the Western Conference Finals without him last season and with Golden State improving this offseason, the Rockets won't stand a chance without Capela.
It's unclear how much he'll get from the Rockets or another team, but Houston should try and keep one of the better centers in the league happy.
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