Houston Rockets center Steven Adams has agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension to stay with the franchise, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Rockets officials and Adams’ agents at Wasserman negotiated the new, fully guaranteed contract, sources said.
Adams, who turns 32 next month, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He was a significant priority for the Rockets after playing a key rotation and leadership role in Houston’s first playoff run since 2020. Adams expressed a tremendous desire to stay with the Rockets long-term and Houston’s front office matched the enthusiasm to reach an agreement Saturday.
The deal takes one of the top centers available in free agency off the market.
Adams had until June 30 to sign an extension with the Rockets. Houston now has until June 29 to make a decision on guard Fred VanVleet‘s $44.9 million team option, and there is mutual interest on a reunion, sources said.
After missing all of 2023-24 due to knee surgery, Adams appeared in 58 games this season and averaged 22.1 minutes in the playoffs. He was a crucial part of the zone defense that flummoxed the Warriors at times in their first round series; the Rockets were plus-44 with Adams on the court vs. Golden State and minus-44 with him off.
A veteran of 11 NBA seasons, Adams is a prolific offensive rebounder who helped the Rockets become the top offensive rebounding team in the NBA last season.
