Two weeks away from the trade deadline and over halfway through the season, the Atlanta Hawks are 22-21. As the No. 7 seed, they seem primed for another postseason appearance. However, they could still be in line for a trade or two to bolster their roster. While they are not linked to any trade candidates in particular, the Hawks have multiple players other teams could pursue in a trade. In December, reports indicated that the Hawks were not shopping Larry Nance Jr. To this point, nothing has happened to suggest this would change. However, on the flip side, the Hawks could move on from big man Clint Capela, who has caught the attention of teams around the league.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, teams are “monitoring” Capela. The Hawks recently moved the 30-year-old to the bench in favor of Onyeka Okongwu. Because of this, it seems likely the Hawks are open to trading Capela.
“With Capela’s recent move to the bench in the final year of his contract at $22.27 million, executives around the league are monitoring the veteran center on the trade market,” Scotto wrote.
Rival Teams ‘Monitoring’ Atlanta Hawks Veteran for Trade
Why Clint Capela Is an Intriguing Trade Candidate
Acquiring someone like Capela is not a blockbuster move for any team. However, that does not mean it would not provide value. This season, Capela is averaging 9.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block in just 22.7 minutes per game. Capela is still a solid contributor at every level of the game. Additionally, he is a seasoned veteran who is just a few seasons removed from being the rebounding champion in 2021.
Another important aspect of Capela’s status is that he is an impending free agent. He is in the final year of his contract, which indicates that it would likely not be too expensive for another team to trade for him. There are plenty of teams around the NBA who need big man depth. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers especially would benefit from adding Capela to the team.
At this point, nothing is imminent. However, it seems increasingly likely that Capela’s days in Atlanta are numbered.
The Last Word
Capela is a very solid big man who could add a lot to teams needing an extra big man. However, the Swiss native has been in trade rumors for the past couple of seasons and remains in Atlanta. Naturally, there is some reason to believe this will not be any different this time around. Regardless, it would likely be in Atlanta’s best interest to trade Capela and get some value in return. Because of his expiring contract, Capela is not likely to yield a big return. However, it also seems unlikely that Capela will remain with the team past this season.
Furthermore, Okongwu has gradually increased each year in his NBA career. Even though he had not started until recently, he had a bigger role on the team than Capela did. If the team opts to trade Capela, it would open the door for the 24-year-old to develop even more.
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