Clint Capela to become restricted free agent in 2018

Clint Capela will be entering restricted free agency after this season. He won’t sign a contract extension before the deadline, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Tonight is the final night for the Class of 2014, fourth-year players, to sign contract extensions in order to avoid free agency this summer and remain with the squads that drafted them.

Players like Andrew Wiggins (No. 1 pick) and Joel Embiid (No. 3) have recently signed supermax deals in the last couple days to stay with the Timberwolves and 76ers, respectively.

Capela, the 25th pick in that draft, is 23 and finally looks like he’s coming into his own. He’s going to be a big part of the team this season and could be looking for a max deal if he continues his progression this season.

The Rockets will likely match any offer for him, but with Chris Paul also needing a deal this offseason, it might not be in the cards. The last time Houston was in this position was in 2014, when Chandler Parsons entered restricted free agency and Houston would "match any deal" for him.

Since then, Parsons turned to the dark side and became a Maverick. His career has never been the same since, but he’s gotten a lot richer.

Just like with Parsons’ deal, Daryl Morey is keeping the cap clean and the Rockets flexible for as long as possible, and extending Capela would not allow him to do that. Hopefully Capela is not so easily wooed with Orlando-based strip club meetings and gets the payday he deserves from Houston this offseason.