Have we seen the last of Clint Capela?
Before a trade to the Atlanta Hawks, Clint Capela was a staple of the Houston Rockets franchise. In six seasons of playing with largely the same teammates, he went from being a late first-round pick to an H-Town icon.
With the Rockets, Capela had near All-Star-worthy seasons. He was an elite paint threat who was simultaneously one of the best rim protectors worldwide. The six-foot-ten beast was also an absurdly talented rebounder, as he mastered the skill of boxing out and creating extra possessions.
Pairing a big like Capela with arguably the greatest scorer in the world at the time ultimately helped James Harden’s 2018 MVP case.
In fact, 2017-18 was one of the best seasons of Capela’s career, as he posted 13.9 points, 10.8 boards, and 1.9 blocks while leading the NBA in field goal efficiency at 65.2%.
Moreover, Hawks’ executives discussed how Capela would fit into their grand scheme and quickly decided to trade for the Houston legend.
This was a great decision, given how similar to Harden Atlanta’s superstar Trae Young is — someone who is a talented scorer and arguably an even better playmaker.
Though it took a four-team trade for pieces and salary to go through, Atlanta finally received their next franchise big man, who was only 25 years old at the time.
Furthermore, Capela’s first season with the Hawks went just as expected. He received big-time plays from Young and made a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Nonetheless, Capela averaged 15.2 points, 14.3 rebounds (league leader), and 2.0 blocks, while shooting 59.4% from the field in 63 games.
Capela was a major reason Atlanta reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and he played well in the playoffs, averaging a double-double in 31.6 minutes per contest.
Conversely, Capela was still great the following season and the one after, but his contributions were coming up short compared to those in 2020-21, his first with the Hawks. Despite phenomenal efficiencies, he scored less, rebounded less, and left a more negligible impact on the court.
The signs of regression soon piled up, and years after he was regarded as an elite big man, his name entered the trade machine and buyout market.
The justification behind moving on from Capela is understandable, as he has performed below the bar this season. He has posted just 9.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in 45 games, 41 in the starting lineup.
Additionally, off the film, Capela is moving slower and constantly missing easy shot attempts around the rim. In result, Atlanta is leaving points off the board, which soon impacts the wins and losses columns.
Things are not much better on defense, as the ten-year veteran has lost his step, as his shot swatting and ability to end possessions have declined similarly.
Although Capela was ultimately not traded by the trade deadline, his party and the Hawks’ front office should meet to converse about whether to even play for the duration of the season.
This is likely the wisest decision for the Hawks’ big man as he enters free agency this summer — to both protect his free agency value and give the young Hawks big men, namely Onyeka Okongwu and Dominick Barlow, a chance to show what they can bring to the table.