Rockets Adding Clint Capela On Three-Year Contract

Clint Capela is heading back to where his NBA journey began.

The veteran center has agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million fully guaranteed deal with the Rockets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Capela returns to Houston after spending the past five seasons with the Hawks, where he started 41 games last season but saw his role shrink down the stretch.

The move continues a busy offseason for Houston, which has now added Capela and forward Dorian Finney-Smith to a frontcourt that already includes Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams. The Rockets signed Adams to a three-year extension earlier this month, adding to the intrigue around how the team plans to balance its center rotation.

Capela’s return is a bit unexpected given the Rockets’ existing depth, but his rim protection and rebounding could offer stability behind the younger Sengun, or give head coach Ime Udoka matchup flexibility in bigger lineups.

Capela, 30, averaged 8.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game in 2024–25, the first time since 2016–17 he failed to average a double-double. With Atlanta turning the page by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from Boston, Capela’s exit was widely anticipated.

What’s still unclear is how Houston will complete the acquisition. The Rockets are believed to have used their non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Finney-Smith, meaning a sign-and-trade with Atlanta would likely be required to bring Capela aboard.

Capela spent his first six NBA seasons in Houston after being selected late in the first round of the 2014 draft. His return brings experience, familiarity, and depth to a team trying to make a serious playoff push in the West.