In a massive trade late Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks ended up acquiring Clint Capela from the Houston Rockets.
League sources told Prime Time Sports Talk that the Celtics had an interest in the now-former Rockets’ big man, but the reported asking price was pretty steep.
Source: Rockets asked for Marcus Smart, first round pick, amongst others in trade with Celtics for Clint Capela.
— Prime Time Sports Talk (@TalkPrimeTime) February 3, 2020
Did the proclaimed “Green Teamers,” as die-hard Boston Celtics fans are sometimes referred to, react calmly? No chance.
The NBA Trade Deadline season is one of the most interesting, and also frantic, periods on the calendar. Every second, something new develops, be it a report from us, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, The Athletic, a newspaper outlet, you name it. Or a player tweets an emoji, and we are left to dissect whether something is about to occur.
This particular rumor, however, of the Celtics possibly acquiring Clint Capela from the Houston Rockets, had a lifespan stretching back to the 2019 offseason. Boston has had a treasure trove of talented wing players, and countless young athletes other teams have long coveted.
The one thing, in theory, that the organization is missing? A game-changing rim-protector, one that could help bridge the gap between the Celtics and the likes of Milwaukee, and provide them an edge over other teams chasing such as Miami. And while Philadelphia has struggled of late, the Sixers have proven to be a thorn in Boston’s side all year, with Joel Embiid being a primary catalyst during the three Philadelphia victories.
Now, turning to Capela, who was moved in deal involving four NBA teams, a question should be posed.
Did the Celtics miss out on their opportunity? In Tuesday’s blockbuster, Houston received Robert Covington from Minnesota. However, you’d have to think that the Rockets would have had a different asking price when it came time to negotiating with Boston.
While the initial ask sources told Prime Time Sports Talk seems high, it would have taken something similar to acquire Capela in terms of cost, or involve a creative deal involving multiple teams. Capela is in the second season of a five-year, $90 million contract, $80 million of which is guaranteed. So to make things work, the Celtics would have had to send a player with a contract similar to Smart’s, or to Gordon Hayward’s. Otherwise, they would have had to package their young assets in a group.
They could also have attempted to become involved in a three or four-team deal themselves, and Capela would have been a huge boost, as he is averaging 13.9 points to go with 13.8 boards per contest.
With less than 24 hours remaining before Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline, everyone on Causeway Street is asking the same question. Will Danny Ainge make a move?
Based on his interview with NBC Sports Boston the other night, it doesn’t seem likely that the Celtics are interested in acquiring a big-name center, at the current moment at least. If the Celtics do anything, it most likely would involve something on a smaller scale. Ainge has praised the efforts of Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter and Robert Williams this season, saying they have done quite well. He’s technically not wrong there. When the three have been healthy, Boston has done fine in the post.
That’s the key, however. While Williams has shown flashes of potential, he has struggled with injuries, which has hindered his progression. Williams (left hip bone edema) has played in only 19 games to this point in the season. Theis (right ankle sprain) was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against Orlando. Kanter (right hip contusion) has dealt with nagging injuries as well, although he made his return to the court tonight.
So we will see. Whatever happens, we will be sure to let you know as things shake out.
