4 for 1! Rockets make a deal! Adams officially teamed up with Shin Kyung
On February 2, Beijing time, the Houston Rockets unexpectedly reached a 4-for-1 deal with Memphis! You know, we originally thought that the Rockets would trade back the instant player at the trade deadline, but it turned out to be the opposite!
According to ESPN Register, multiple sources revealed that the Memphis Grizzlies sent center Steven Adams in exchange for guard Oladipo + 3 second-round picks from the Houston Rockets. At this point, Adams and Oladipo have officially reached a deal to swap owners, and they will start a new chapter in their careers!
The Rockets' first trade at the trade deadline turned out to be to exchange Oladipo and three second-round picks back to Adams, which can be said to be really interesting! This also makes people can't help but ask: For the sake of an Adams who has already been reimbursed for the season, is the Rockets' move a bit "exciting"? At present, Adams has three years left on his contract, which will expire in 2026, and his annual salary is $12.6 million this season and next season. Oladipo, on the other hand, has a 9.45 million expiring contract. If you look at the immediate benefits, the Rockets are undoubtedly the losing side! Because they gave away Oladipo's expiring contract, they also had to swallow Adams' contract for the next three years, and even took three second-round picks.
But Rockets general manager Stone is by no means stupid! The reason why he chose to make this 4-for-1 deal with the Grizzlies must be based on the long-term interests of the team, not just the immediate interests, otherwise he would not have done it. Even though Adams has been out for the season, he'll be back healthy next season, and that's what the Rockets are focused on.
At that time, the Rockets will have an extremely stable interior backup center. What's more, Adams is also an interior big man with rich interior experience and extremely high rebounding efficiency, and his addition will undoubtedly improve the team's rebounding strength, and at the same time, it can also help superstar Shin Kyung's rapid growth. You must know that inside rebounding and card positions have always been Shen Jing's technical shortcomings, and Adams happens to be a good mentor for Shen Jing. Therefore, this move of the rocket can be described as killing two birds with one stone!
Besides, isn't the Rockets' move at the trade deadline just begun? According to Amick, Jalen Green is not regarded as a "key cornerstone" within the Rockets, and the Rockets are currently open to sending Jalen Green away for a star-caliber player. Will the Rockets be able to make a blockbuster trade next? Let's wait and see!