Tilman Fertitta Says Rockets Must Sign Chris Paul, Want to Keep Clint Capela

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has signaled the team's intentions to re-sign point guard Chris Paul and center Clint Capela this summer.

Following Houston's Game 7 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, Fertitta said the Rockets "gotta sign Chris" and "want to keep Clint," per Lainie Fritz of KPRC 2 Houston.

The Rockets have every reason to keep Paul and Capela for next year and beyond.

Paul averaged 18.6 points and 7.9 assists in his first year with the team, and were it not for his hamstring injury, Houston may have knocked the Warriors out of the playoffs.

When Paul arrived, it seemed fair to wonder how he and James Harden could operate in the same backcourt. They put those fears put to bed as Houston ranked second in offensive rating (112.2), per NBA.com.

Capela, meanwhile, has gotten better with each of his four years in the league. He averaged a double-double (13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds) in 2017-18 and is one of three finalists for the Most Improved Player award.

Since Capela is a restricted free agent, Houston can match any offer sheet he receives.

Re-signing Paul and Capela would have big consequences for the rest of the Rockets' offseason, though, since it could rule out the possibility of adding LeBron James. Keeping Paul and Capela while simultaneously acquiring James isn't impossible but would require a lot of dominoes to fall into place.

If the Rockets fall out of the race to sign James, that would diminish what is already a small group of teams that could feasibly land the four-time MVP.