Clint

Capela

After five seasons in Atlanta, Capela returns to the city where he played his first six NBA seasons. A starter in 41 of the 55 games he played last season, the veteran center averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks in 21.4 minutes. With Alperen Sengun locked in as Houston’s starting center and Steven Adams also on the roster, Capela’s opportunities with the Rockets may not be enough to make him a factor in fantasy basketball.

With Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu set to man the starting frontcourt positions in Atlanta, Capela is likely to look for a new team. The Lakers’ Achilles heel is the team’s lack of depth at center, and Capela could provide a strong presence down low. If he signs with LA, expect Capela to supplant Jaxson Hayes as the starter or at the very least split playing time with him.

Okongwu has missed four straight games due to personal reasons, but he will presumably miss the rest of the season with a ligament injury in the fourth metacarpal of his left hand. Capela’s minutes as backup center will likely be absorbed primarily by Dominick Barlow, though Barlow is not a recommended streaming option for fantasy hoops managers.

LeVert will miss a third-straight game due to a sore right knee, while Capela will miss a fourth consecutive for personal reasons. The former’s absence will be more impactful on fantasy basketball, with Vit Krejci picking up additional minutes off the bench. Capela’s absence has resulted in more playing time for Dominick Barlow, but he is not a player who should be streamed.

Sunday’s game will be the third straight Capela has missed for personal reasons. While his absence has freed up rotation minutes for Dominick Barlow, this has not impacted fantasy basketball. Leave Barlow on the waiver wire.

Initially questionable for Friday’s game, Capela will miss a second straight contest for personal reasons. Dominick Barlow moved into the backup center role on Wednesday and should do so again on Friday. However, he’s unlikely to get the minutes needed to be fantasy-relevant.

Capela missed Wednesday’s game against Charlotte, and Dominick Barlow filled out the backup center minutes in that game. Barlow would likely fill the role again if Capela remains out, though he only played 18 minutes in that role. With Onyeka Okongwu healthy, Barlow won’t be worth streaming regardless of Capela’s status.

Capela’s playing time is on the downstroke, as Onyeka Okongwu has taken over as the Hawks’ starting center. Dominick Barlow could absorb some of the big man’s minutes but isn’t expected to make a significant impact on fantasy basketball.

It has been a strange few weeks for Capela. This was his first appearance since January 27. He missed a few games before the trade deadline due to back spasms, and then he missed a few more due to personal reasons, which led many to believe he was going to be traded. Capela wasn’t dealt at the deadline, but he was inactive for Atlanta’s last few games before the All-Star break. He finally returned to the rotation, where he played 18 minutes behind Onyeka Okongwu, who logged 30 minutes. It was Capela’s first game in nearly a month, so he may see more minutes once he gets a few more games under his belt. However, Capela’s fantasy upside is limited as a reserve.

Despite not being listed on the injury report, Capela will not play in the Hawks’ final game before the All-Star break. Hawks coach Quin Snyder said during his pregame availability that the veteran center’s ramp-up process will continue through the All-Star break. Mouhamed Gueye and Georges Niang should take on additional rotation minutes, as Atlanta is also without Larry Nance Jr. (knee).