OKC Thunder center Steven Adams has one question surrounding him entering this season, and it is a rather simple one.
As we continue the one question for every member of the organization series, we come to starting center Steven Adams. If you have read every one question article to this point, you know how difficult some have been to narrow down to just one question. However, posing just one question for OKC Thunder center Steven Adams is by far the easiest.
The offseason has been filled with shake-ups within the OKC Thunder organization. The team traded three of their five starters from a year ago, and rumors swirled around Steven Adams all offseason. Reports came out today from a unanimous NBA executive, that the OKC Thunder’s asking price for the man in the middle is just “too high.”
Which is okay, the Thunder does not need to move Steven Adams. While Adams is six years into his career, he is still just 26 years old. That puts Adams well within the new winning window of OKC Thunder basketball. The Thunder could elect to hold onto Adams, and even extend him, as his play is not projected to decline until well after the Thunder revamp their roster, allowing the New Zealand native to represent the Thunder culture as the last vestige of winning basketball in Oklahoma City.
Adams is under team control until 2021 so he can be traded in the next offseason as well, an offseason that sees no prized free agents. That gives the Thunder leverage so they are not desperate to move Adams to get under the luxury tax, nor get something in return for an expiring contract. The organization is just fine playing the next 82 games with the fringe All-Star laying brick wall screens for their plethora of ball handlers.
So if a trade is likely off the table, what is the one question looming for Steven Adams ahead of the 2019-20 season?
Well again, I think that is pretty simple. How good is Steven Adams?
To this point in his career, Adams has proven that he is a starting center in this league, without question. That in itself is a huge accomplishment for any NBA player to establish themselves as a starter on pretty much any roster. There are only a few teams around the association that would not find a starting spot for Steven Adams.
However, just how good can he be? For the last two seasons, the 26-year-old has been a fringe All-Star but has been beat out by bigger name stars at the five spot.
For the last three seasons, Russell Westbrook has averaged a triple-double with most of his rebounds by design coming on the defensive end to start the transition offense. That left Steven Adams boxing out on multiple occasions so Westbrook could reap the rewards. Now, Oklahoma City will rely on the big man to grab even more rebounds. That will only help his counting stats, and thus propel him up the ladder of centers by those who just simply look at counting stats.
Last year Adams ranked #2 in OR tied #73 for DR (Russ was 5th) & 19th for total Rebs. Now that Russ is gone how many Def Rebs does he avg this year? #ThunderUp
— Thunderous Intentions (@thunderousint) October 2, 2019
A year ago the man in the middle for OKC grabbed 4.9 boards offensively and 4.6 boards defensively per game averaging out to 9.5 rebounds per game. That number is guaranteed to go up as long as Adams remains healthy. Many of our followers on Twitter agree with that, with the poll coming in at 8-11 defensive rebounds per game this year stealing 64-percent of the vote.
Steven Adams ranked 16th in rebounds per game a year ago, with his teammate Russell Westbrook soaring up to 10th place with 11.1 rebounds a game. Adams did not place in the top ten of defensive rebound percent but did place 4th in offensive rebound percent a year ago.
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With Adams cleaning up on the glass, even more, this season it should result in an uptick of production. Given the trio of ball-handlers, the OKC Thunder will throw onto the floor this season and revamped offense it should equate to improved production for Adams via pick-and-roll sets.
Then factor in the perfect marriage of Danilo Gallinari sharing the frontcourt with Adams. Finally, the Big Kiwi has an adept offensive partner who can spread the court which will increase the scoring opportunities at the basket.
All of these factors point to the New Zeland native being primed for a big year.
How big of a jump can Steven Adams make? I think he could improve his points and rebounds per game mark enough to be in the Most Improved conversation.
With Adams leaping into the top ten of every rebounding category and possibly getting fed the ball more on the offensive end of the floor with the absence of two of the most dominating scorers in the league, and iso heavy players, Russell Westbrook and Paul George. This could be that coveted All-Star year for Steven Adams if things go perfect this season.
How good is Steven Adams? Are you as bullish on Adams as I am heading into the 2019-20 season? Let us know on Twitter or in the comment section below.