The contract expires! Confirm leaving the team! The Lakers are expected to sign Capela

The Hawks got Porzingis in a three-party deal. NBA salary expert Yossi Gozlan wrote: "This deal will have an impact on the center market this summer. Capela was originally expected to return to the Hawks, so it is certain to leave the Hawks. The Celtics also need a center, and they may let Horford or Cornet return."

In addition to Porzingis, there is also a center in the Hawks: 24-year-old Oneka Okonggu. The Hawks want to focus on cultivating Okonggu, and there is indeed no Capela's position in the team. Although many fans are looking forward to Capela and Harden's reunion, the Clippers have not expressed their interest in Capela at present, but the Lakers want to chase him.

As we all know, the Lakers currently have only a 1-year, $5.7 million mini-middle special case. Capela was born on May 18, 1994 and just turned 31 years old. He could definitely seek a long-term contract. However, in this year's free market, there are only a handful of teams with cap space to sign in the free market: Nets, Bulls, Pistons and Grizzlies.

Before the transaction deadline this year, Capela was put on the shelves by the eagle, but unfortunately she was unable to send it away. In the second half of the regular season, Capela suffered a fourth metacarpophalangeal ligament injury in his left hand, and his starting position was also snatched away by Okonggu, which made Capela very dissatisfied. Capela's original contract was US$46 million for two years and the contract expires this summer. In the 2024-25 season, Capela played 55 regular season games with the Hawks, including 41 starts. He averaged 21.4 minutes per game, scored 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 block, with a shooting percentage of 55.9% and a free throw percentage of only 53.6%. The average score is the lowest in the past nine seasons and the lowest in the past eight seasons.

When Capela was in the Rockets, she averaged 16+12 per game in her peak season, and now her data in the Hawks has dropped a lot. Capela is 2.08 meters tall and has a wingspan of 2.25 meters. In the 2014 NBA Draft, Capela was selected by the Rockets at the 25th pick in the first round. Jabari Parker and No. 8 pick Stouskas have been away from the NBA for many years. As a first round final pick, Capela has been able to compete in the NBA for 11 seasons and has a total career salary of $131 million. He is already successful enough. In the 2017-18 season, Capela averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game with the Rockets, with a shooting percentage of 65.2%. In the summer of 2018, the Rockets renewed their contract with Capela for 5 years of $90 million.

In addition to his own efforts, the first thing Capela has to thank for for getting this big contract is Harden. In the 2017-18 season, Harden gave Capela one-third of his total assists. At that time, the title of Bread King resounded throughout the entire alliance. In the 2018-19 season, Capela averaged 16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

The good times didn't last long, the Rockets began to be obsessed with the five-squad lineup, and Capela affected the breakthrough space of outside players. In February 2020, the Rockets exchanged Capela for Covington. In the 2020 playoffs, the Rockets met the powerful Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals and were eventually eliminated 1-4. In January 2021, Harden left the Rockets.

The last question: What do you think Capela's next contract will be?