Steven Adams Deemed Most Important, Irreplaceable Player on Rockets

Steven Adams has been a very important ingredient for the Houston Rockets. He's essentially the key to Rockets coach Ime Udoka’s offensive gameplan.

Which has been centered around getting offensive rebounds and second chance points. Adams is one of the greatest offensive rebounders of all time.

Full stop.

Adams ranks eleventh in offensive rebounds historically, at 3.7 offensive boards per game.

He's had four top three finishes in offensive rebounds, and that doesn't count this season, in which he ranks first, at 4.5.

Adams is the key to the double-big lineup, which established success last season, as the Rockets have dominated the league in rebounds.

On Sunday, the Rockets center went down with an ankle injury during the victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Adams was deemed the most important and irreplaceable player on the Rockets' roster, by long-time, well-respected NBA insider Tom Haberstroh.

"He might be the most important Rocket. Not necessarily the best.

In terms of irreplaceability? It might be Adams

Adams, as solid as they come, transforms the Rockets on both ends of the floor. No one creates 2nd-chance opportunities and pancakes opponents on screens like Adams.

He leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (4.5) and ranks in the 96th percentile in overall offensive rebounding impact, per CleaningTheGlass.com. Defends without fouling. He cleans up others’ mistakes."

Haberstroh continued.

"By all accounts, he’s a legendary teammate on and off the court. On the floor, he does the little things, dirty work to free up his guys."

Haberstroh noted that he initially underestimated Adams' value and impact on the team.

"I underestimated how irreplaceable the New Zealander would be for this Rockets team. Here he is, in the New Year, still leading the Rockets in on-off swing at +7.3."

The Rockets' longstanding rank as one of the league's better teams takes a down tick if Adams misses significant time.

"I wouldn’t be able to keep the Rockets as a four-star contender if Adams would miss months with an injury."

Fortunately for the Rockets, that won't be the case.

At least, according to Udoka.

The Rockets coach noted that although Adams has a significant amount of swelling in his ankle, he didn't break any bones.

Ime Udoka tells me Steven Adams has an ankle sprain. Quite a bit of swelling. But nothing broken.

Sigh of relief.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) January 19, 2026

The Rockets prepared themselves for this. It's why they signed Clint Capela in the offseason. Although he's a drop off from Adams.

A major drop off. But most teams wouldn't have a player like Capela as their third-string center on the roster. The Rockets will surely let him take his time upon returning from any injury, especially since the playoffs are around the corner.

Fortunately, he shouldn't miss an extended amount of time.