After the Houston Rockets went down 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors in the two-seven matchup of the Western Conference Playoffs, many assumed this series was over. There is now a Game 7 on the docket for Sunday.
One notable aspect of the Rockets' resilience to tie up the series has been the play of veteran center Steven Adams. The New Zealander has proven his worth tremendously as a viable backup option off the bench for Houston.
The Los Angeles Lakers, whose season ended on Wednesday, can only look on in admiration and possibly a little bit of envy. The good news for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office would be the fact that this treasure of a veteran big man can be theirs in the upcoming free agency period.
Adams is exactly what the Lakers need
Pelinka knows that filling out the frontcourt depth will be a top priority for this offseason. While the Lakers may want to look elsewhere for a starting option, Adams would be a fantastic addition as a reliable backup for the team.
The veteran big is set to become an unrestricted free agent upon the conclusion of this season. The Rockets will likely have interest in bringing him back after the quality minutes Adams has provided. However, the Lakers should absolutely throw themselves into the mix.
The soon-to-be 32-year-old certainly has his best days behind him, but there is plenty of value to be found in what he still brings to the table.
"I just follow the game plan, bro."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 3, 2025
Rockets big man Steven Adams kept it simple on his impact in Game 6 😅
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/Ruo2BKnF4X
Kevin O'Connor pointed out on Twitter/X that 'the Rockets are a +53 with Steven Adams on the floor this series, and -39 without him.' Adams possesses an often undervalued skill set offensively. Despite not being a shooting threat, physically-imposing center creates spacing with his devasting screens. The impact of those bumps leaves defenses so out of place that opportunities are plentiful as a result.
Adams continues to be a strong option both defensively and on the glass. The Rockets center is averaging 10.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks when adjusting his playoff numbers for Per 36 minutes. Rim protection and rebounding are two areas in which the Lakers could sorely use some help.
Given his age and status, Adams should be a relatively cost-effective option. The hope would be bringing in the big man on a veteran minimum. However, depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out through the avenue of other departments like trades, there may even be enough reason to consider offering the Lakers' $5.7 million non-tax midlevel exception to the 11-year veteran.
Adams is realistic, affordable, and fills the team needs well. There is a lot of sense to be made from this potential union.