A noted playoff rival of the Golden State Warriors is officially off the free agency market, with Houston Rockets big man Steven Adams reportedly signing a contract extension with the franchise.
Just weeks before he was set to hit unrestricted free agency, Adams has signed with the Rockets on a three-year, $39 million contract as first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday.
Rockets have kept Warriors from a potential free agency mistake
Adams' value skyrocketed after becoming a huge factor in Houston's first-round playoff series against Golden State, with his defense and particularly his ferocious work on the glass earning praise even from Warrior fans.
After averaging 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 13.7 minutes during the regular season, Adams' numbers rose to 5.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 22.1 minutes across the seven-game series loss to the Warriors.
There were even calls for Adams to play far more, having easily led the Rockets in plus-minus (+44) during the series. While the Rockets may have ultimately been eliminated in Game 7 at home, there's little doubt the series helped add millions to Adams' new contract.
As the series was ongoing, there were growing calls from Golden State fans for the franchise to show interest in Adams as a free agency target this offseason. Not only was the 31-year-old earning plaudits for his on-court performances, but he also gained respect for his off-court comments when asked specifically about Warrior forward Draymond Green.
“It’s highly competitive out there. People are just playing really hard. Sometimes things happen. It’s not ill intentioned. I think you’re just trying to win," Adams said after Game 4 of the physical and fiery series.
Yet for as good as Adams was in that series, the reality is that the Rockets may have just done the Warriors a favor and kept them from avoiding a big free agency mistake. The Kiwi international could have been a solid signing for Golden State this offseason, but his limited offensive ability means he shouldn't have been a top priority.
Even if the Warriors were able to give Adams the sort of contract he's now got, spending over $10 million per year on a non-shooting and non-scoring big man would have been a major mistake given the current roster.
Based on their history of unwillingness to spend big on the center position, it's unlikely that Golden State would have done that anyway. The Rockets have now taken the option off the table completely, leaving the Warriors able to focus on more offensive-minded alternatives ahead of the offseason.
