Rafael Stone sees Steven Adams bringing physicality, force to Rockets

Though he has technically been with the Houston Rockets since early February , veteran center Steven Adams will not play his first game for the team until this fall. He missed the 2023-24 NBA season after undergoing surgery for a lingering knee injury in October.

But he is expected to be fully healthy when 2024-25 training camp begins in late September or early October. At that time, Adams will slide in as a backup and defensive complement to Alperen Sengun.

Here’s what general manager Rafael Stone told Vanessa Richardson , courtside reporter for Space City Home Network (the team’s regional broadcast partner for games and other content):

I just want Steven to be Steven, and I think he’s going to be Steven. I think he’s going to get every rebound — or, if he doesn’t, he’ll just block out the entire team. …

We’re looking forward to him being him. He’s already been around the team enough so that his personality is something I’m looking forward to enjoying, 24/7. And his physicality and force on the court is something that is not really replicated in the NBA, and we feel like we’re lucky to have him.

A first-round pick in the 2013 NBA draft, the 6-foot-11 big man has averaged 9.2 points (58.7% FG) and 8.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game during his 10-year career. Adams is now 30 years old.

The complete interview with Stone can be viewed as part of SCHN’s latest “Rockets All Access” program to wrap up the 2023-24 season. It is being aired several times this week ( schedule ).

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