NBA Rumors: Celtics Could Trade Three Players And Draft Pick For Clint Capela
Since losing Al Horford in the 2019 NBA free agency, the Boston Celtics have been rumored to be active on the trade market, searching for a defensive-minded big man who could fill the hole he left on their roster. In the past months, several big men who are or will be available on the trade market before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline have already been linked to the Celtics. As of now, one of the centers who are reportedly on the Celtics’ radar is Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets.
In a Twitter post, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN revealed that the Celtics are among the NBA teams who are engaged in trade talks with the Rockets involving Capela. Wojnarowski did not mention any further details regarding the Celtics’ offer to the Rockets. However, in a recent article, Dan Mennella of CBS Sports Radio suggested a way on how the Celtics would be able to bring Capela to Boston before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline.
In the proposed trade deal by CBS Sports Radio, the Celtics would be sending a trade package including Daniel Theis, Robert Williams III, Romeo Langford, and a 2020 first-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for Capela. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine.
Trading for Capela makes a lot of sense for the Rockets, especially if they are serious about challenging the Milwaukee Bucks for the Eastern Conference supremacy and bringing home the 2020 NBA championship title to Boston this season. Capela may not be a floor-spacer and a facilitator like Horford, but he’s a quality rim protector and monster rebounder. This season, Capela is averaging 13.9 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 62.9 percent from the field.
If the trade becomes a reality, Mennella believes that it would not only be beneficial for the Celtics but also for the Rockets.
“Robert Williams III is an intriguing young player who has shown huge defensive upside in limited minutes. It’s unclear whether offensive-minded Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni would embrace such a player, but he’s young, cheap, controllable, and talented. Paired with a first-round draft pick (via Memphis, protected 1-6), as well as versatile forward Theis and first-round pick Langford, it might be enough to consummate the first leg of a Capela deal.”
Acquiring three young and promising talents and a future draft pick is undeniably a fair compensation for a player of Capela’s caliber. However, with the team currently in a win-now mode, it remains a big question mark whether it would be enough to convince the Rockets to send Capela to Boston. In the potential deal involving Capela, the Rockets are reportedly eyeing to obtain an impact player who could boost their wing.
