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Celtics Trade Rumors: Clint Capela Deal with Rockets 'Unlikely' at Current Price
June 16, 2019
The Boston Celtics are "unlikely" to trade for Houston Rockets center Clint Capela because president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and Co. are not interested in meeting the current asking price, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
Himmelsbach noted that the two sides have not engaged in any trade talks regarding Capela to this point.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reported in late May that Houston has made its entire roster available for trade following a second-round exit this past postseason. Wojnarowski added that the team had been "more aggressive" in attempting to move Capela, who still has four years remaining on the five-year, $90 million deal he signed last offseason.
Capela is coming off his most productive season to date, establishing new career highs in scoring (16.6 PPG) and rebounding (12.7 RPG) in 2018-19. The 6'10", 240-pound big man added 1.5 blocks per game while logging a defensive rating of 108.0, which was the highest of his career.
Meanwhile, his plus-minus of positive-3.5 per game was the second-best mark of his career.
Boston had also been linked to six-time All-Star Anthony Davis, though Marc Stein of the New York Times tweeted the Celtics "refused" to include 2017 third overall pick Jayson Tatum as part of a package. With Wojnarowski reporting Davis is headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, Ainge will have to turn elsewhere for help down low.
According to Himmelsbach, the Celtics are looking to use their abundance of picks in next week's draft (picks Nos. 14, 20 and 22) to acquire an established player, though nothing is viewed as "imminent."