Celtics Rumors: Latest on Clint Capela Trade Buzz, Terry Rozier New Contract
June 10, 2019
The Boston Celtics have reportedly engaged with the Houston Rockets on a potential trade for Clint Capela.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders updated the Celtics' roster situation, noting the Capela talks and that the team has engaged with Terry Rozier on a potential new contract.
Rozier will be a restricted free agent this summer but has expressed a desire for more regular playing time. With Kyrie Irving potentially leaving Boston, retaining Rozier could be the Celtics' failsafe at the point guard position.
The Houston Rockets are expected to make changes to their core this offseason, aside from James Harden and Chris Paul. Capela is seen as the most attractive young trade piece on the roster.
If the Celtics trade for Capela, the 25-year-old would be an odd fit next to Al Horford. While Horford has played some 4 in his career, his best position is the 5—especially as he advances in age. Horford, 33, has a $30.1 million player option for next season. It's possible the Celtics are just doing their due diligence in case he opts out.
Capela would be a better long-term fit if the Celtics decide to retool around their young players in a post-Kyrie world.
Rozier is one of the NBA's most polarizing players. By his sheer numbers, he looks like an above-average backup. He's never shot more than 40 percent from the field, isn't a great shot creator for others and is one of the league's highest-variance players.
Some, including Rozier, simply feel he needs more regular, starter-level minutes. Rozier averaged 13.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 14 starts during the regular season compared to 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 65 games as a reserve. Those aren't eye-popping numbers, but his flashes of brilliance in the starting lineup have won him fans.
"I felt like I went from the passenger seat to the trunk," Rozier told ESPN.com's Jackie MacMullan. "Everybody tells you, 'Don't think about the contract; don't think about the money.' I always tell myself: 'I'll get what I deserve one day. Maybe not this day, but one day.'"
Rozier will find his true value once he hits the free-agent market. All it takes is one team to believe in him, but odds are the market will be cooler than he expects because of his track record of middling performances.