The Houston Rockets surprised many in free agency by bringing back center Clint Capela, even though Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams are already signed to multiyear contracts. Capela, who spent his first six NBA seasons in Houston before a 2020 trade, said he felt “something wasn’t done” during his first stint and missed the city’s supporters.
Head coach Ime Udoka plans to use Capela either as a lone big man or alongside Şengün in oversized front-court combinations. “He’s different as far as rim protection and as a lob threat,” Udoka noted, adding that Capela may be the best lateral mover among the team’s three centers and that Şengün tends to play more aggressively with another big behind him.
Preseason opener
Houston started its preseason with a 122-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Observers from The Houston Chronicle and The Athletic highlighted forward Jabari Smith Jr. looking comfortable after returning to the starting unit, while rookies Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard split ball-handling duties evenly when on the floor together.
Backcourt rotation without VanVleet
With Fred VanVleet sidelined by a torn ACL, Thompson and Sheppard are expected to handle most of the playmaking, but two-way guard JD Davison strengthened his case for minutes by scoring 17 points and delivering four assists in 22 minutes, including five three-pointers. Udoka praised Davison’s “aggression on both sides of the ball” and his decision-making in pick-and-roll sets.
An ESPN panel examined the fallout from VanVleet’s injury. Analyst Kevin Pelton suggested Houston may miss VanVleet’s defense most, while Bobby Marks said the club currently lacks clear options to trade for or sign another point guard.
Source: Hoops Rumors
