Clint Capela Will Sign A Three-Year, $21.5 Million Deal With The Houston Rockets

Mar 6, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots past Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Clint Capela is heading back to Houston.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported this evening that Capela is going back to Houston, the franchise that drafted him originally, on a three-year $21.5 million deal that is fully guaranteed.

Free agent center Clint Capela has agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Major frontcourt addition – and return to Houston for Capela. pic.twitter.com/1l20sBt9p2

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

The Rockets traded Capela to the Hawks before the 2020 trade deadline and Capela was instrumental in getting the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals. He was one of the best defensive players in the NBA during the 2020-2021 season and was an elite rebounder and rim protecter, as well as being a fantastic rim-running lob threat for Trae Young.

The season began with Capela still starting for the Hawks, but there was a change in January. Capela was benched in favor of Onyeka Okongwu, something that has been speculated about since Okongwu was taken with the 6th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Capela was once again in trade rumors leading up to the trade deadline, and while he was not dealt, he then had to deal with injuries that kept him out for a good portion of the season after the deadline.

Mar 10, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

In terms of numbers and stats, this was not a great year for Capela, who showed signs of aging for the first time since being a Hawks. He had his lowest PPG since 2015-2016, his second year in the NBA, his lowest blockers per game since his rookie season, his lowest RPG since joining the Hawks, his lowest field goal percentage since his rookie season, and his fewest minutes played per game since 2015-2016.

Per Cleaning the Glass, Capela finished the season with a 2.1% Block Percentage, the lowest in his career, as well as the lowest EFG% since his rookie season and the lowest two-point percentage (56.2%) since his rookie season. It was not just a defensive decline for Capela, but he was not finishing at the rim and shooting the ball as well as he had in the past. Capela had been an elite rim-running lob threat alongside Trae Young in the past, but he was not finishing well, as evidenced by his low effective field goal percentage and two-point percentage.

Capela was still a high-level rebounder though. He finished with a 13.9 fgOR% (91st percentile) and a 23 fgDR%. That was his top skill and he can still provide that.