The Houston Rockets traded for Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams in exchange for guard Victor Oladipo and three second-round draft picks. It became the latest NBA transaction ahead of the February 8 deadline.
In the trade details, Memphis will receive a second-round pick for the year 2024 from Oklahoma City, a conditional second-round pick for the same year, which will be the better pick out of those owned by the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors, and the more favorable of Houston’s second-round picks in 2025, per ESPN.
At 30 years old, Adams has been sidelined since January 2023 due to surgery on his right knee. However, he is projected to completely recover in time for the 2024-25 NBA season. The Rockets look forward to integrating his strong rebounding skills, physical presence, and leadership qualities to support Alperen Sengun. The team has sought a backup center for quite some time. Houston considers the wait worthwhile, given he will only make $12.6 million in the final year of his contract in 2024-25.
The Rockets seek to bolster their physical toughness and rebounding capabilities, viewing Adams as a critical addition. Before his injury, Adams led the league in offensive rebounds for two consecutive seasons, averaging 11.5 rebounds over 42 games. He’s routinely one of the NBA’s best pick-and-roll screeners, freeing up the ball handler as the on-ball defender has to think twice about the hit they’re about to take.
This transaction allows the Grizzlies to reduce their guaranteed salaries by $12.4 million for the 2024-25 season, bringing them approximately $17 million below the second apron of $190 million. Oladipo is in the last year of his contract and has yet to be cleared to return to the court.
Facing numerous injuries this season, including a season-ending shoulder surgery for their All-NBA guard Ja Morant, the Grizzlies are positioned to potentially secure a high lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft despite being contenders.
This pick could either be used to draft another promising young talent or traded to bolster their core lineup further, which includes Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart.
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