As the hype from the Super Bowl fades away, we transition to the upcoming NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6. The news and rumors have been flying like Harry Potter running from a dragon lately. It’s one of the many reasons you have to appreciate the drama that surrounds the NBA. It’s truly the ultimate barbershop league.
Fans and analysts engage in potential moves and destinations for players daily. It makes for compelling talk and helps us get through an 82 game season. The Houston Rockets have been one of the teams at the forefront of the NBA trade talks concerning center Clint Capela.
Most recently, the Rockets and Celtics are discussing possible options. So far, Houston is just entertaining offers. It doesn’t appear that a move is likely to happen until the trade deadline on the 6th. Still, the question remains on if this is the right move for Houston.
The Rockets are fifth in the Western Conference and looking for home-court advantage in the postseason. The Rockets roster has two of the NBA’s top-five players arguably. Russell Westbrook and James Harden are the two guys that make up the dynamic of that team.
Harden is leading the Rockets in points at 35.7 a game. Westbrook is leading the Rockets in assists at 7.4 a game. These stats make up the overall offensive attack of the Rockets. However, Capela is the defensive anchor. He averages 13.8 rebounds per game, including 4.3 offensive rebounds per game.
The latest reports are that the Rockets are listening to offers for Capela. A deal is probably forthcoming before Thursday’s deadline. However, what is the reason for the Rockets to trade Capela? Three reasons come to mind as the trade deadline approaches.
