Despite Injury, Steven Adams Held Positive Trade Value at Deadline for Rockets

The Houston Rockets received scrutiny for standing pat at the trade deadline. To many, they have holes on the roster.

Well, that should be universally agreed upon.

There are definitely areas that could be tightened up on the Rockets.

The same holds true for every NBA team, though.

Houston had the assets to go all-in, however.

They didn't forfeit much of their future for Kevin Durant last summer.

In fact, they only surrendered Jalen Green (who oozes with potential, to be fair) and the tenth overall pick in last year's NBA Draft.

Oh, and five second-round draft picks, which have become exclusively valuable as trade chips.

Trading for Durant alone is an indication of a team going all-in.

So why not actually do that?

Well, their biggest trade chips were seemingly Dorian Finney-Smith and Steven Adams.

Certainly from the standpoint of salary ballast.

Finney-Smith makes $12.7 million this season. And he's aging, at 32-years-old.

And hasn't necessarily looked great, but he's still playing his way back from injury.

Adams, on the other hand, makes $14.1 million. He's also aging, as he turns 33 before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

However, he's not someone Houston's brass is looking to move. In fact, Adams is part of Houston's future.

Ben DuBose of USA Today's Rockets Wire explained.

"I was told pretty firmly, expect Steven to be here. You never say never. Like if somehow Nikola Jokic becomes available, you can't rule it out."

As DuBose explained, the Rockets view Adams as much more than salary filler. In fact, he held actual trade value at the deadline, despite being out for the season, due to season-ending ankle surgery.

"They are not looking at him as salary filler. I was told he had enough value that he would've had positive value at this trade deadline by himself, even out for the year with the ankle injury.

DuBose continued.

"He's turned that many heads over the last couple of years with what the advanced metrics show.

Steven Adams is someone that they view internally as a big part of the formula.

I would expect Steven to be here. And that's what they're missing right now."

Houston is definitely missing Adams. Any team would.

It's been an injury-filled season. However, his may be the most pivotal.

Well, he and Fred VanVleet.

We'll see if the Rockets scour the buyout market for a short-term fill-in for Adams in the interim.