We don’t have a Clint Capela problem; we have a Golden State problem. And GS just so happens to be the only team he struggles mightily against. He’s improved every year he’s been in the league, otherwise. Let’s not kid ourselves here. Capela is an asset. But given that he struggles against our archnemesis, it’s fair to start wondering what we can get for him and EG to retool and try to better position ourselves against them in the future. Entertaining this possibility isn’t an admission that retaining CC was a mistake or anything like that. It’s embracing reality.
Jordan is not taking 15 million a year, wants more. Top 5 money man in the nba, evidence, they were traded or given up bc of money. Blake griffin Chris Paul Deandre Jordan Tobias Harris Jimmy butler I still believe they want overpay.
Depends. It’s pretty clear that the formula towards maximizing your team’s talent level is to cut costs at the center position. It’s just not that smart to have it be one of your highest paid players if it’s not going to a Top 25-ish player in the league, which Capela is not. I wouldn’t trade him for scraps like some would, but if Morey found a solid deal, I’d gladly ship him out. There’s just better ways to spend $15M a year. (I think there is 0% chance Morey finds a solid deal)
I just don't know I suspect trading Capela will overall leave us shorter on the front line Or at least less talented. Requirements 15 million or less As Talented or better As Tall or taller as mobile or better Who meeds those requirements? Rocket River
Capela just got dominated by the seemingly inferior Kevon Looney. Warriors got superior play for far fewer dollars. Bucks were able to get great C play for cheap with Brook Lopez. I’m sure the list goes on. And once again...I’m not pro-trade unless it’s an obviously beneficial deal. We’ll probably be “less talented” if we trade Capela, but the point is you’d rather be less talented at the Center position than the wing positions, which we are sorely lacking in.
One reason why folks keep bringing up Jordan is because we need rim protection and rebounding as well as stretch bigs who can rebound and defend. If the team wants to seriously contend for a title moving forward we need help in multiple areas of our front court. The Dedmond deal that you detailed would be a good one. I like the idea of Olynyk off the bench. I would still give the MLE to J Green if would take it. 3 stretch bigs would be ideal. However if we cannot get Dedmond, we would need a plan B,C and D for a center who can shoot 3’s, switch, rebound and defend. That list is short. If Capela is moved for a wing player and/or a stretch 4/5, but one who isn’t necessarily a “starter” due to defensive inefficiency, DJ can still give you rim protection rebounding, and finishing ability around the rim. For example Harrell can’t stretch the floor. But he was dominant vs GS because of his elite ability to finish at the rim. Where Clint wouldn’t go up strong and dunk at the rim, Harrell did and Draymond and Looney couldn’t stop him. DJ even with some lost athleticism would have been putting both Draymond and a Looney in the rim instead of shying away. DJ is still a man around the rim and dunks everything. I wouldn’t offer DJ the full MLE, but if he were to shock everyone and take the minimum, I think we would be crazy not to look at that as a viable option. Not to play 30 minutes a night, but maybe 20 to 24 minutes in combination with someone like Olynyk and J Green getting minutes at the 5. That’s kind of Golden states model. With right moves we can add a stretch 5 along with a athletic defensive minded big and a stretch 4. If we get a stretch 5 who can’t rebound or defend the interior, the team would still be in trouble. The inability to grab a rebound cost the Rockets at least 2 games vs GS. The lack of team rebounding haunted this team all year and it bit the team again at the worst time. If DJ can help eliminate our rebounding woes while playing limited minutes, and we got someone like Dedmond, it would add diversity to our 5 spot, we wouldn’t be dependent on a youngster like Hart come next year’s playoffs. We saw what inexperience did to House. If Hart or Clark aren’t ready for high pressure moments next year then DJ would be a good option for the veterans minimum imho.
If we trade Capela i think having two centers with different skill sets might be the best outcome, like DeAndre to have a physical player able to catch lobs, and a big able to stretch the floor like Dedmon to use in other match ups, the problem is it's going to be difficult to get one of them with the ta MLE, both it's just not going to happen, but hopefully Hartenstein is going to be that stretch 5.
Zizic is too slow. He wouldn’t be playable here. His lack of lateral quickness is his biggest draw back.
You still don't get it. But then, why would you? You're you, after all. I never said playing 5-out wouldn't work, I just objected to every single one of your inane suggestions on how to implement that: trade Capela and start Zhou Qi because he's got DPOY potential and can hit the 3 trade Capela and start Hartenstein trade Capela for pretty much anyone named Plumlee and start him trade Capela for Thon Maker and... well, by now you see where this is headed I still maintain any of those moves would have been idiotic. It wasn't your assessment of the problem, it was the utter cluelessness of your proposed solutions. The thing that killed us this year against GSW wasn't that we had Capela, it was that we had no alternative at that position who gave us an outside presence. Nene can't hit beyond 15-18 feet, and Hartenstein is simply unplayable at the top level until he learns to defend better. So for the record, I'll state it plainly so you can understand: You were right about needing a center who can space the floor, but then so was everyone else around here who's been saying that. The only reason I mock you specifically is because you are incessantly condescending in how you talk to anyone around here who doesn't worship at the feet of your spreadsheet knowledge, and I happen to find that kind of nonsense particularly amusing.
What makes Capela a "prime asset" if you aren't willing to trade him? The reason he is a prime asset is because he's one of the few guys on the team with real trade value.
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: -3.9 ppg, -1.9 rpg, and +4.2 apg. Incoming Players Rudy Gobert 26 year old, 7-1, 245 lb C from Cholet Basket (France) 15.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 2.0 apg in 31.8 minutes in 2018-2019 Joe Ingles 31 year old, 6-8, 226 lb F from Melbourne South (Australia) 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.7 apg in 31.3 minutes in 2018-2019 Jae Crowder 28 year old, 6-6, 235 lb SF from Marquette 11.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg in 27.1 minutes in 2018-2019 Outgoing Players Clint Capela 25 year old, 6-10, 240 lb PF from Chalon-Sur-Saone (France) 16.6 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 33.6 minutes in 2018-2019 Eric Gordon 30 year old, 6-4, 215 lb G from Indiana 16.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.9 apg in 31.7 minutes in 2018-2019 P.J. Tucker 34 year old, 6-6, 245 lb SF from Texas 7.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 apg in 34.2 minutes in 2018-2019 Maybyner Nene 36 year old, 6-11, 250 lb C from Vasco da Gama (Brazil) 3.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 apg in 13.0 minutes in 2018-2019
I think yes ideally we would like to have everything. But when you're paying Chris Paul $40m, you must concede that you will sacrifice something, somewhere. Between attacking guards, wings and bigs, the area which seems to matter least to success is bigs. Traditional bigs and floor generals are becoming obsolete. There is no more room in the NBA for bigs who a team would not allow to even take a 3. Of the 4 teams that were in the ECF and WCF, 99% of the players would be at least a minor threat from 3. We had the quality to be among those 4 teams, and no one can deny Capela's lack of a 3pt shot was a real obstacle. If he needed to be even lightly guarded at the 3pt line, it would put a major dent in the Warriors defense hence shifting the series. There are several teams who are highly successful without a defensive anchor rebounding machine type player. That type of player imo used to be needed. Now it's a luxury to bring off the bench for rare matchups. D Jordan is worth the taxpayer MLE, I don't dispute that. For the minimum you don't even think about it, of course you pick him up, but I think that has less than 1% chance of happening. I think the Knicks will offer him the room exception (about $4m I believe) without blinking. For a team like us with limited resources to improve and the MLE being one of those resources, I can't imagine we give it all to him given in any late playoff series, he will not be playable for more than 15-20 minutes. We can get 15-20 minute guys for part of the MLE. I like Olynyk as a role player, but he is unacceptably injury prone and he is on a team that is considered among the best with player fitness. I think the C position has become very simple. Your minimum standard is that the player can block 2 shots and hit 2 3's on a good day. That's what's working for everyone else. Among guys who can do that, you pick the one with the quickest feet. If you can't get a good one, better to go undersized and boost yourself elsewhere. Not PJ Tucker level undersized, but you can throw a Jaymichal Green in there easily (I believe @Nook suggested this a few days ago). The way I see it I can happily go into a season without having a really good C. We cannot go into a season with this mediocre wing depth anymore, the guys between 6'6 and 6'10 are the most important pieces in the NBA.
You don't even need a center that can space the floor. You need BIGGER and ACTUAL forwards that can rebound and defend when you play small-ball. And ALSO Capela. Or you could have a center that can space the floor. What you just need is a LOT better frontcourt players.... PERIOD. The only reason you'd consider trading Capela is because he has ACTUAL VALUE in a trade and you can MAYBE replace what he does give you more cheaply. It's not that complicated.
I think that we kind of agree. I too would rather go cheap at the 5 spot. I just don’t want someone who can shoot, but would get bullied in the interior and can’t compete for rebounds. After Dedmond and maybe Lopez are there any other reasonable options for a starting caliber stretch 5? If not I would still go with a big who is the mold of a Looney type and bring my non starting stretch big off the bench. I like the idea of starting J Green at the 5 vs a team like GS but I don’t know if I want him banging with guys like Jokic or Nurkic or Embiid to start games. He could get in early foul trouble. I think I place a little more value on defense and rebounding than you do. That seems to be where we differ in terms of what’s important to contending in this new era of basketball.
