Steven Adams traded from Memphis Grizzlies to Houston Rockets

Steven Adams is on the move again, with the Memphis Grizzlies set to send the Kiwi big man to the Houston Rockets.

ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported Adams will be sent to the Rockets in exchange for New Zealand Breakers part-owner Victor Oladipo and three second-round picks. The teams are yet to confirm the news.

Adams, 30, hasn’t played a game for the Grizzlies this year due to a knee injury sustained during last year’s NBA campaign. The injury, which kept him out of the Grizzlies’ playoff run, was not responding to non-operative rehabilitation and required surgery to repair. He was ruled out for the entire 2023-24 season as a result.

Wojnarowski reports the Rockets’ front office believes Adams, who has established himself as a strong defensive and rebounding centre, will bring toughness and leadership that can add to their young team, and that he has the skill set to provide an impact on the court - likely in a limited role behind rising young big Alperen Sengun.

Houston will be the fourth NBA team for Adams. He began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2013, but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans after seven seasons in Oklahoma City. He spent one season with the Pelicans before being traded to Memphis.

Last year, Adams signed a two-year extension with the Grizzlies worth US$25.2m.

Adams was one of just two players on the Memphis roster older than 26 during the 2022-23 season. Beyond his production on the court, Adams embraced his teammates and the Grizzlies franchise from the moment he was traded to the team from the Pelicans ahead of the 2021-22 season.

“It was good to get that done,” Adams told the Herald of his contract extension in late 2022. “It was good that all that shit got taken care of and now we can just focus on basketball. It’s just good that the team actually wants me here.

“We’re all just coming together. Everyone here is a good dude, it’s a good organisation. Everyone here is friendly, they’re their own person, and everyone accepts one another. I don’t know what I bring, mate. I’m just here for the banter.”

Despite not playing a game this season, Adams collected seven player votes in the Western Conference Frontcourt All-Star ballot.

For context, that ranked the Kiwi at 31 out of 97 players, putting him in the top 31.9 per cent of eligible players this season as judged by his peers. Not bad for someone who has spent the entirety of this season dishing out high-fives rather than dunks.

For further context, Adams’ seven votes are more than the number earned by future Hall of Famer Draymond Green (6), 2023 All-Star Andrew Wiggins (1) and fellow big men Jusuf Nurkic (5) and Ivica Zubac (1).

Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic collected the most player votes with 197, next was LeBron James (144), and Kevin Durant (142) rounded out the top three.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission