Adams Keeps Stability in the Thunder Lineup
If you've ever wanted to be the General Manager of your favorite NBA team, ask yourself one question. Can you take the emotion out of any decisions you make when regarding players?
Sam Presti does it every day, and while he remains friends, people like Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook, no matter how close you are with somebody, you may have to ship them off to make your team better. Could you do it? Could you trade Steven Adams?
Especially if it means missing the playoffs for three or four seasons? Adams has reached cult hero status in Oklahoma City, but the $27,000,000 he's due next season has some wondering if the Thunder are paying too much for a center whose skill set doesn't fit the new NBA.
True, Adams is never going to be Brook Lopez and attempt five shots from beyond the arc each game, but as long as the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley, he shouldn't be expected to take on that role.
According to ESPN, Adam's biggest asset is his durability. He has missed only 12 games in the past five seasons.
He's also averaging 10 points, 9 rebounds, and shooting 60 percent from the floor. Presti gives credit to Billy Donovan for seeing Adams in a different light.
If Oklahoma City parts ways with Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari, you're going to need some veteran leadership to help the young players mature through what will be a rough couple of seasons. Adams is eligible for a four-year extension that should be on the table as soon as Presti can start talking to his agent.
Plus, he'll work well with Gilgous-Alexander in the pick and roll offense, and you won't find another center in the league that can set as hard a screen as he can. Adams will dive for loose balls, fight for boards, and his cannon for an arm also gives you a chance to find the open man.
Most importantly, his girt will wear off on his teammates, and depending on the direction the Thunder goes, they could use that in surplus.
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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.
