The Hawks had a wild offseason of moves. In the midst of it all, one particular decision went under the radar. After five hard-fought seasons in Atlanta, they decided to let veteran center Clint Capela walk. In free agency, they completed a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets, sending Capela back to where it all started.
This was a bit controversial. While most fans were ready to admit the harsh truth about Capela's rapid decline, some fans remained loyal to his abilities despite the struggle. They were worried that Atlanta would miss his interior presence and reliability.
Letting the big man walk has proven to be the right move. While having a veteran presence in the locker room is never a bad idea, his on-court production is almost a non-factor at this stage of his career.
In 14 games for the Houston Rockets this season, Capela is averaging 3.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in just under 10 minutes a night. While he is not expected to produce much, these career-low numbers are still disappointing.
Houston may be regretting giving Capela a three-year deal...
If he were putting up this type of production on a one-year, veteran minimum contract, it would be one thing. The Rockets, however, signed him to a three-year, $21.5 million contract. This looked like an overpay at the time, and it has only taken a few weeks for Capela to prove it was.
Houston did not even have to do this, either. Not long before making the gamble for Capela, Houston re-signed veteran center Steven Adams to another three-year deal. Only this time, Adams was given much more annually.
This was a move that made sense. At this stage in his career, Adams is a more-than-serviceable backup center. His rebounding ability can still be among the best in the league on any given night. The NBA world shook its head when they then gave Clint Capela, their third-string center, a long-term deal as well.
Many would assume this was just a safe option and that Houston could trade Capela whenever the time is right. His recent play, however, has tanked his trade value. His athleticism looks to be the lowest it has ever been, continuing a trend that began years ago in Atlanta.
Hawks fans should wish the best for Capela, as his prime years as their top big man were special. He was the key to their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run and developed incredible chemistry with franchise point guard Trae Young along the way.
It will be interesting to see how Head Coach Ime Udoka uses his veteran big man moving forward. If both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams are healthy, Capela should not see the floor. If one of them is missing from the lineup, however, he should be given a fair shot at career redemption.