NBA Free Agency Roundup: Rockets Facing A $ 100 Million Question With Clint Capela | Bleacher's report

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Do not be surprised that the Houston Rockets, a team involved in basketball cold math, are making a percentage of play with Clint Capela.

The 24-year-old According to Tim McMahon, of ESPN.com, Capela and the Rockets were separated up to $ 40 million in their negotiations. Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle relayed a failed offer, noting that Capela refused a $ 85 million five-year contract.

If we invoke comparisons, Capela is right for $ 100 million. Steven Adams, then 23, signed a $ 100 million over four-year extension with Oklahoma City Thunder just before the start of the 2016-17 season. He got that money after setting up 8.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. André Drummond signed his own $ 127 million five-year contract just one month before his 23rd birthday in 2016.

The way NBA basketball is played today, Capela is probably more valuable than Adams and Drummond.

Capela had a season in which he averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, while leading the league in goal scoring. His defensive versatility – you will not find many of the best equipped to defend goalkeepers on switches and protect the rim – has been an integral part of Houston's sixth defense. Taking into account how Capela inscribes (and perhaps allows) the Houston plan, it is even more for the Rockets than for the rest of the market.

But the market is the problem

. As the Rockets have equal rights on all contracts that it signs, they have no urgency to shell out a heavily preemptive contract.

It's a rotten timing for Capela, and Houston operates it

There is a downside, though. Capela could become frustrated, perhaps so much that he would give less of a full effort when signing a lowball contract with Houston. Equally disturbing from the point of view of the Rockets, he could completely give up negotiations and sign a one – year qualifying offer that would allow him to enjoy unrestricted free will in the summer of 2019.

It would be shocking Less than half a dozen teams approached Capela with maximum bids in a year.

The leverage of Houston is considerable but hardly infinite. The mess was too big and the Rockets could alienate a young elite center – one of the only clbadics capable of staying on the pitch against the Golden State Warriors.

Houston can quote the calculations and defend an attack that lasted 27 three in a closing playoff game. The triplets he missed in the seventh game of the Western Conference against Golden State were statistically favorable proposals. The maths said that they were good shots.

Similarly, playing this way at Capela's free agency is objectively intelligent. It's a good process. The economy is healthy: do not pay more than you should.

It's different, though. There is a human side to consider, and it's starting to seem like the Rockets do not appreciate it enough.

At this point, if Capela gives up feeling and adopts Houston's calculating approach, his best move might be to stick it to the Rockets. accept the qualifying bid and raise more than $ 100 million from someone else next summer.