Rockets' offseason acquisition could be on the trade block sooner than you think

As the Houston Rockets have navigated this offseason, their trio of acquisitions, including Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela, have left them poised to have one of the deepest rotations in the league.

Yet, their purpose of their signing Capela to a three-year, $21 million deal still remains somewhat unclear if everyone on the roster is healthy, and it is quite possible that he could be on the trade block rather soon after the start of the season.

Although Capela's return to Houston could be serendipitous if someone like Steven Adams sustains an injury, it will be difficult for him to crack the rotation if all goes according to plan, and, as a player with a unique defensive skill-set, he could be utilized to fill a deeper need for the Rockets.

Clint Capela could be flipped to bring back a ball-handling guard

Last season, through 55 games with the Atlanta Hawks, Capela averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists, shooting 55.9% from the field and playing a viable center alongside ascendant young player Onyeka Okongwu.

In this sense, the Capela signing makes sense as a depth move. With Adams likely to be limited to around 50 or so games with his existing injury history, Capela grants the team a certain amount of versatility and insurance to continue to play their double big lineups even when Adams is out.

Yet, on the other hand, Capela's roster spot, and multi-year financial commitment, have prevented the Rockets from filling an emerging need: that of a ball-handler behind veteran guard Fred VanVleet.

According to Jed Katz of Sports Illustrated, this overlap, as well as this underlying need, could result in a Capela move sooner than you might think: "Adams, although older and less productive last season, picked up toward and during the postseason. Combine that with his chemistry and efficiency next to Sengun in Ime Udoka's 'double big' lineup, and Capela isn't safe in his first season back in Houston. Plenty of teams could use a center like him."

The Rockets unabashedly prefer to play big, and a piece like Capela could allow them to do so throughout the course of the entire season. Yet, it remains to be seen how the offense will conform around the addition of a superstar like Durant, and, if Capela ultimately does not fit into the rotation, there would likely be multiple teams clamoring for his services as a fringe starting center.

Moreover, while the cost of his contract would certainly not allow them to orchestrate a deal for another star, the low annual value and relatively short length would make him an enticing trade piece well before the deadline.

Therefore, while Capela could have a serious role to play on this Rockets team if things go sideways, do not be surprised if he ultimately utilized as a trade chip this season.