Every Team in the NBA Could Use a Player Like Clint Capela

Clint Capela is not a well-known name among casual NBA fans. The veteran center goes out and quietly does his job every night, so when DeAndre Ayton made his comments about Capela, it suprised many.

The Houston Rockets found something last season when they started playing Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun together at different times during games. The center duo dominated the boards and gave the Rockets the size advantage on most nights.

It played a big part in the Rockets' best rebounding season in franchise history, as they won 52 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Despite the first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets felt they had found a formula that could help them win games going forward.

With Sengun and Adams, the Rockets felt they had the best center rotation in the NBA. The Rockets did have a third center on the roster, and despite playing well at times, Jock Landale didn't get many minutes when both centers were healthy. But the fact that Landale, a quality center, was the Rockets' third-string center showed how deep their center rotation was.

After the disappointing playoff loss, the Rockets decided they needed to make a change. They made the biggest splash of the offseason when they traded for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant. They also signed Dorian-Finney-Smith to replace Dillon Brooks, who was part of the Durant deal, and signed swingman Josh Okogie.

Those moves weren't too shocking, given the Rockets' need for more defensive-minded wings. The one move that surprised people across the NBA was Clint Capela's signing.

The signing wasn't a surprise because Capela isn't a good backup center. Capela had carved out a good career by impacting the game without having plays run for him or the ball in his hands.

The move was a surprise because Capela could have found a bigger role on other teams as a backup or even a starter. The fact that he was willing to come to a Rocket team that, at the time, was set at the center position was a major win for the Rockets.

Rocket fans know Capela well, as he started his career with the Rockets. Capela worked his way up from the G League during the tail end of Dwight Howard’s tenure with the Rockets and became a vital part of the Rockets during James Harden's prime.

The Rockets' plan was to rest Adams as much as possible throughout the season and let Capela fill in when Adams sat out. Little did the Rockets know that Capela's role would become even bigger later in the season. Adams would go down with a major left ankle injury, sidelining him for the rest of the season, which elevated Capela to the only backup center on the roster.

That is when Capela really started to show his value to the Rockets, as he stepped right in and gave them exactly what they needed in Adams' absence.

Why Every Team Needs a Clint Capela

Ayton, during a post-game press conference, felt that he was not being utilized correctly by the Lakers and their coaching staff. Ayton stated, "I'm not no Clint Capela!" referring to Capela making his name as a lob-catching rim-running big man.

Even though Capela has never made an All-Star game or is not a household name like Ayton, he has maximized his role in the NBA and has been a consistent center throughout his career.

Capela again proved his value to the Rockets in their win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. With the Rockets trailing in the third quarter and playing with little energy, Capela, along with Reed Sheppard and Kevin Durant, helped the Rockets go on a 21-0 run after trailing by 19 points.

Capela not only supplied the energy the Rockets were lacking, but he also filled the box score. Capela finished with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. It was his best overall game of the season and showed his value to the Rockets.

What makes Capela so valuable to any team is that he can play three minutes one night and then play 15 the next and give the same effort. Capela doesn't need the ball in his hands to make an impact and does whatever it takes to win.

Ayton is right; he isn't Clint Capela, but every NBA organization needs and would love to have a Clint Capela on its team.