The Atlanta Hawks aren’t letting their starting center go anywhere any time soon. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Atlanta and Clint Capela came to terms on a contract extension that will keep the team’s defensive anchor and one of Trae Young’s favorite lobs threats with the franchise through the 2024-25 campaign.
Wojnarowski reports that the extension adds two years onto Capela’s current contract and will pay him $46 million over those last two seasons. Capela is about to enter year four of a five-year, $90 million extension he originally signed with the Houston Rockets.
Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela has agreed on a two-year, $46M extension, sources tell ESPN. He had two years left on his current deal and now is under contract through 2024-2025.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 1, 2021
The Hawks acquired Capela in 2020 just before the trade deadline as the Rockets decided to go all-in on small ball. While an injury and the NBA’s shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant he did not play for Atlanta that season, Capela made his debut at the start of the 2020-21 campaign. He was a crucial part of the team’s surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals, cleaning up misses and serving as one of the league’s best lob catchers on offense and providing his usually stout defense. On the year, Capela averaged 15.2 points in 30.1 minutes per game while averaging career-best marks in rebounding (14.3 a night) and shot blocking with two a game.