Capela unswayed by offer of $85 million
Five-year contract to center falls short of lucrative deals received by Gobert, Adams
LAS VEGAS — While the Rockets’ negotiations with center Clint Capela remain a stalemate, their offer has been much closer to Capela’s demands than had been described in recent days.
The Rockets on July 1 offered $85 million over five years, with the contract potentially reaching $90 million with incentives, two individuals with knowledge of the offer said Tuesday.
That offer would be much larger than deals given other centers this offseason but falls short of the contracts received by Rudy Gobert (four years, $102 million) and Steven Adams (four years, $100 million) in 2016, when the NBA cap spike sent contracts for free agents that summer skyrocketing.
Capela’s representatives have sought a deal similar to those contracts, persons with knowledge of the negotiations said.
A restricted free agent, the Rockets have the right to match any offer sheet Capela signs. The Rockets remain confident they will sign Capela, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said. Capela could opt to sign his qualifying offer of $4.7 million, a move that would allow him to veto any trade next season and make him an unrestricted free agent next season.
When asked on NBA-TV if the Rockets will be able to bring back Capela, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said, “Oh yeah,
he’s a restricted free agent so we have a pretty good chance.”
While vital to the Rockets’ hopes to remain a championship contender, Capela also is important given his ability to work off Chris Paul and especially James Harden in pick-and-rolls as well as to defensive switches. He was the only Rockets center who played regularly in the Western Conference finals against Golden State. But he rarely scores independent of the playmaking of the Rockets’ point guards, limiting his value to teams that need a free-agent addition with that sort of contract to carry their offense.
The only teams with significant cap room (at least $15 million) remaining are the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings, topped by the Hawks’ $19 million. They could only offer up to four years.
Capela was the runner-up to Victor Oladipo for the NBA Most Improved Award. He went from getting 25 double-doubles over his first three seasons to 42 last season.
Capela led the NBA in fieldgoal percentage, was second in blocked shots per game and eighth in rebounding, averaging 13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds. He became the fourth player, along with Wilt Chamberlain, Artis Gilmore and Gobert to average 13 points while making at least 65 percent of his shots.
Bringing back Capela was considered the Rockets’ secondmost important move after the signing of Paul.
With the recent departures of Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, the Rockets have begun efforts to land two forwards, including their latest pursuit of Carmelo Anthony this week in Las Vegas. The Thunder granted permission for the Rockets to meet with the 10-time All-Star while they worked out scenarios to move Anthony after one season in Oklahoma City.
ESPN initially reported the Thunder have allowed the Rockets and Miami Heat to meet with Anthony while he considers his free-agency options.
The Rockets pursued Anthony as a free agent in 2014 and tried to trade for him last summer. They decided they would try to land him again this year even before Mbah a Moute’s decision to return to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Thunder have been expected to seek a trade of Anthony or to release him and stretch the cap hit over three seasons since Anthony opted in to the final season of the contract he signed with the New York Knicks in 2014, worth $27.9 million.
With the Rockets over the salary cap, they can offer all or part of their taxpayer mid-level exception, worth up to $5.3 million, or the minimum for a veteran of at least 10 seasons, worth $2.3 million.
Coming off a season in which he averaged a career-low 16.2 points, Anthony is viewed by the Rockets as a versatile scorer who could bolster an offense that struggled, relative to its success through the regular season, in the conferencef Finals.
With the Rockets, he could be used off the bench, which would have to be a significant part of his decision, though he could fit as a starter at small forward with the departures of Mbah a Moute and Ariza. The Heat likely could offer a chance to start at power forward.
Anthony is very close with Heat star Dwyane Wade as well as Paul. Paul said Sunday he talks with Anthony “all the time.” When asked if he expects Anthony to join him with the Rockets, Paul said, “We’ll see, we’ll see.”
The Rockets also are seeking a defensive-minded small forward and have been in talks with representatives of James Ennis, who showed promise especially defensively while playing for Rockets associate head coach Jeff Bzdelik in Memphis. The Rockets have had interest in Treveon Graham, an outstanding defensive player, and James Nunnally, an outstanding shooter who played last season in Turkey.