Deal done: Rockets trade Capela for Covington in 4-team deal

yep, especially when we look at the leverage (or lack thereof) Detroit had with trading Drummond.

 

Might be a bit early to say this but Covington feels like a "star" in this system because of his versatility on both ends. We don't need him to drop 20 a night with all of our offensive weapons, and his skillset is a much needed attribute to this team. His IQ is unbelievable. All we need from him is consistency.

 

I also think that Capelas friendlier contract, along with him being signed for the long term, really made Capela more desirable.

 

Interesting.....

 

I'm watching the Hawks and Knicks game trying to see Clint on the bench but don't see him. Is that a weird thing to do?

 

MacMahon: Whole Point Of Rockets Trading Clint Capela Was To Maximize Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook has played better since the Houston Rockets moved to a small-ball lineup.

"The whole point of trading Clint Capela was to maximize Russell Westbrook," said Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "Just because having two non-shooters on the floor with James Harden in that system, it was clunky. All the analytics backed up the Rockets' decision in a small window of this season right now: they were better without Capela off the floor than with him on the floor."

The Rockets are vulnerable to scoring big men defensively and on the glass, but MacMahon points out how teams have had to adjust to their small-ball system rather than the other way around so far.

"They're all-in on this," said MacMahon. "Analytically it makes sense."

MacMahon, however, argues that Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets could be the matchups Houston doesn't have an answer for.

MacMahon also added that the trade was not motivated by luxury tax avoidance.

"This was a trade Mike D'Antoni wanted. He wanted to go all-in on small-ball," added MacMahon. "This was a trade Daryl Morey (wanted)."

 

Did MacMahon just plagiarize Clutch?

 

They are tanking...

 

It appears that Capela's lingering injury is going to be an issue the rest of the season. It's probably why we couldn't squeeze something else out of the Hawks, maybe they were threatening to back out due to Capela's uncertain health?

 

oh boy. imagine the rockets be forced to play small now without covington. the rockets dodged one for sure at the right time

 

only fitting that a soft tissue injury ends up sidelining the ultimate softee. i've had plantar fascitis twice and you can play on it if managed right, but it is best to take an extended break in order to get it completely right

 

Capela: "I felt like more like a rookie in my sixth year there. Here, I really feel like a vet."

This is a very telling statement... imo...

 

My brother was a college baseball player and had issues with plantar fasciitis. He could barely run with it and had to sit out and get constant treatment and let it heal. No way could he play basketball with it with all the running and jumping that is involved.

He had to go through a lot of painful physical therapy work. Had to wear night splints and custom orthotics in his shoes.

I'm sure it's one of those things where there are different degrees of it and it affects each person differently.

 

Capela will be missed. For sure. Good guy and home grown dude that when he was healthy was a double-double machine.

Still, I understand what the Rockets are doing, and this may be the only way to maximize not only Russ but Harden's talent (great low-post defender).

 

Westbrook's dream...to have Alex Caruso guarding him!