Rockets Media Analyst: Capela's Role May Not Be Ideal, Team Could Consider Upgrading the Position

In the latest episode of his podcast, Houston Rockets media commentator Jackson Gatlin shared some thoughts on backup center Clint Capela. Gatlin said he likes Capela's performance, but he also believes that his current role may not necessarily be the team's optimal choice. He pointed out that this role should not simply be viewed as a waste of resources. Since Steven Adams is highly unlikely to participate in back-to-back games and his tactical role appears somewhat limited, the Rockets may be very cautious in managing his playing time and gradually increase his workload during the season. Therefore, having an Adams with relatively limited functionality is not necessarily a bad thing.

Gatlin further explained that he has always believed the Rockets would benefit from adding more diverse capabilities at the backup center position. For example, if the Rockets could use Capela to acquire a center with better floor-spacing ability, or a center who can truly attack the rim and finish alley-oop plays, the team's overall performance would improve significantly. However, he also emphasized that the Rockets are not in a hurry to move Capela's contract at the moment, but if a suitable opportunity arises to upgrade the position in the future, the team should seriously consider making a move.

In last season's NBA regular season, Capela appeared in 75 games, averaging 12.3 minutes per game with 3.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks. He shot 52.0% from the field and 57.7% from the free-throw line. In the playoffs, Capela's playing time decreased to 5.4 minutes per game, with averages of just 1.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks, while his field-goal percentage dropped to 37.5%.