Somewhere along the line, the Houston Rockets fell out of love with the traditional big man.
Clint Capela was a fan favorite in Space City for several years. His emergence as a more valuable archetype to run alongside James Harden’s pick-and-roll mastery revolutionized the organization. Dwight Howard wanted post touches: it conflicted with Harden’s abilities. Capela didn’t care to touch the ball until he was already grabbing it out of thin air.
Of course, for as much as Capela complimented Harden, he clashed with Russell Westbrook. Mike D’Antoni’s system required at least four floor spacers, and Clint’s interior defense wasn’t thought to be valuable enough to be chosen over the former MVP.