3:59pm: The Hawks have announced in a press release that both Capela and Labissiere will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
1:53pm: A pair of centers acquired by the Hawks at the trade deadline won’t be making their debuts for the team anytime soon, according to head coach Lloyd Pierce, who said today that Clint Capela and Skal Labissiere are still “weeks” away from playing, per Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links).
Capela missed the last seven games before the All-Star break – three with Houston and four with Atlanta – due to plantar fasciitis in his right heel. After being acquired by the Hawks in a four-team trade at the deadline, the 25-year-old said he was aiming to get back on the court later this month, but based on Pierce’s update today, it sounds like that won’t happen.
As for Labissiere, he has been on the shelf since December 28 due to a left knee injury. The Trail Blazers’ last update, issued on January 8, suggested he’d be re-evaluated in four weeks. Instead, he was traded to Atlanta around that four-week mark and we haven’t gotten a concrete update on his timeline since then.
The 15-41 Hawks are much closer to the top spot in the draft lottery than they are to the No. 8 seed in the East, so the club won’t rush its injured players back onto the court. Still, Atlanta would presumably like to see how Capela and Labissiere look alongside the team’s young core before the end of the season.
Labissiere will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Capela is on a long-term contract, but the Hawks will want to see if he meshes with big man John Collins, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2020 offseason.
Trade looking a lot better for Houston as time goes on
By what calculation? Hawks are not playing for anything this year except for a top pick. Plantar fascitis is an ongoing issue that Capela may deal with the rest of his career but I bet he plays 60+ games next year and the playoffs, if the Hawks hit on their pick and get some shooters.
The Fascitis alone makes it a good deal.
Good for the hawks. Everyone won in that trade.
Why because Capela is hurt? lol
Yes, among other reasons.
Morey is no slouch.
In the short term they look like they’ll make out better. Saves D’Antoni a bit of a headache in regards to figuring out the rotation and the team basically waiting on Capela returning, if he were to return, this season. In the long term they’ll still have issues. I don’t think they’ll be able to hold up in a 7 game series against teams with actual bigs like Utah, Denver, Dallas, or the Lakers. And the Clippers could match Houston’s small ball with Harrell or Morris at “center” while still being able to guard Westbrook/Harden/Gordon trio with Beverley/Kawhi/PG. Their success so far with their small lineup is encouraging, but it’ll be a lot tougher in the playoffs to replicate those results each and every game.
Wouldn’t it be funny if Morey is going through the small-ball philosophy routine to cover the fact that he traded away a center for value who he knows will never recover properly. (Or– he thinks that).
Moey could have taken a center in free agency. He did not but there is still time. Hint, his interest in DJordan.
I wonder if Riley pulled that stunt with sending Winslow to Memphis. All the load management and players sitting until fully healed nowadays makes for good cover in theory.
Just being cynical. Not sure heels cause career problems in the NBA.
It’s not at all uncommon for larger players like Capela to succumb to injuries during their NBA careers, just look at what Boogie Cousins has dealt with the last two years. There are too many examples to list throughout history of taller players who have had their career’s cut short by injuries. Hopefully Capela doesn’t end up on that list, but unfortunately it’s a strong possibility.
Re-evaluated in 2 weeks, meaning they won’t be coming back until later. Trading away a player with plantar fasciitis is rarely a bad idea. Even though most people hate the Rockets for their own personal reasons, they probably got the better end of the deal here acquiring an excellent 3 and D player like Covington on a team friendly contract.
I mean plantar fasciitis is very painful when you have it but you can very well outgrow it, is just an inflammation is not for life, I have had it myself, but more to the point Pau Gasol had it in Memphis & he still went on to have a HOF career without much problem from it, so trading a player because has it is not a good idea really.