Last season at the trade deadline, the Houston Rockets made a move to go out and get veteran big Steven Adams. Even with the knowledge that a right knee PCL injury which required surgery would keep Adams out for the entire season, Rafael Stone pulled the trigger on the deal to acquire the big man. The trade was very much so one that came at little cost, or as I called it in a previous article No Risk, all reward. It’s just hard to imagine there will be any regrets due to again, how little Houston gave up to obtain Adams.

With that said though, what can, or rather, should we expect this season from Steven Adams, and how valuable can he be for this team?

Well, for starters, I want to start off by saying all of this is truly out on a limb. Coming off a knee injury is tough for any player, let alone having surgery, missing an entire season, and carrying a seven-foot frame on top of that. There is no telling exactly how Steven Adams will come back, but very educated guesses will certainly be made. So this time, let’s get into what to potentially anticipate from the big out of New Zealand in the 2024-25 NBA season.

Rebounding. If there’s one guarantee of what we’ll see in the stat sheet each game from Adams, it’s offensive and defensive rebounds. In the past five seasons (excluding 2023-24 in which he didn’t play), Adams has owned an average of 9.7 rebounds a game, 4.3 of which coming on the offensive glass. In his 2022-23 season, the last he played, Steven led the NBA in offensive rebounds a game with 5.1, tied with his 2017-18 year for a career high. Simply put, the combination of the utter worldly strength and hustle to grab offensive boards is crucial and not something you find on every team in the NBA, let alone somebody who can do it at the rate Adams can, best-in-the-league material.

Offensively, the rebounding will help with a variety of factors for Houston. Second chance opportunities, extended possessions, and also easy put-back chances as well. With a team full of guys who love to shoot the ball, I’d expect Adams to come off the bench and play cleanup duty on the glass, making up for missed shots through offensive rebounds. However, defensively, Adams’ rebounding on that side will still be just as crucial. Again, the strength and rim protection we’ve seen provided from the big man over the past decade has been nothing short of dominant.

Limiting second chance opportunities through rebounding and leading fast breaks with a rocket of an arm, Adams can play a huge role by simply crashing the glass. Especially following a season in which Houston struggled to get support on the boards with their bigs off the bench, Adams will be an incredible addition and help in that category this season.

In addition to his rebounding, Adams’ defense will be an invaluable gain for the Rockets this season. While he’s never been an elite shot blocker, Steven has always excelled at using his strength and size to alter shots and position himself to prevent easy post ups. On the interior, the strength is again, game-changing level. He may not be Wemby in terms of defensive versatility and caliber, but Steven Adams is a fully capable aggressive and physical defender who won’t back away from anyone.

For Houston, a team who ranked 10th in team defensive rating last season, adding Adams to that center rotation will be much appreciated. Not to say Jeff Green and Jock Landale aren’t solid defenders, but moreso Steven Adams is simply a better option due to his as mentioned many times before, strength. But this can also be used as a teaching factor as well, possibly using the veteran leadership of Adams to help mentor guys like Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Having a young team can be hard, especially on the defensive end, so a veteran like Steven Adams is destined for pivotal backup center minutes under Ime Udoka’s system.

Now to focus on the offensive aspect of Adams’ game. Truthfully, it’s never been a focal point of his game, and that likely won’t change in Houston. His career average of 9.2 points a game is a great reflection of his role as a complementary piece rather than a go-to, feed-the-ball inside scorer. With that said, Adams does bring elite ball screen setting and a nice touch around the rim on the roll. Labeled as one of the top screeners in the NBA, Adams’ physicality and size allows him to free teammates for open looks. In an offense with guys like Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and even Reed Sheppard, Adams will most definitely open the floor for the guards to operate.

Additionally, his strong finishing at the rim, mostly off pick-and-rolls or put-backs from offensive rebounds will give the Rockets some reliable scoring in the post off the bench. The passing for Adams is also another underrated part of his game, as his deep ball inbound passes are among the best in the league. The ability to stay smart and make decisive choices with the ball will absolutely help out a Rockets offense in the half court.

Final expectations and impact

If fully healthy, I believe Steven Adams will pick right back up where he left off when he was last on the court in Memphis as a dependable, gritty, high-level backup big man. A chance to run the rebounding category both offensively and defensively, Adams will never go unnoticed for Houston on both ends. The veteran leadership, defense, rebounding, and grit from Adams will impact the Rockets in the best of ways this upcoming season, giving Houston qualities in which last season they lacked.

So while we’re still unsure on if Steven Adams will return from injury as the player we know him as or not, his contributions will be significant regardless. The ability to impact the game without having the ball in his hands makes him the perfect fit as backup center on a team that is expected to rely on its young scorers and talent.

If he can stay healthy, Steven Adams can prove to be the missing piece for the bench Houston lacked last season in many aspects. All of which can make Rafael Stone’s gamble all the worthwhile, and play into the No risk, All reward outlook.