Steven Adams was a large part of Houston’s plans coming into the 2025-26 season as the Rockets were prepared to play him in tandem with two-time All-Star center Alperen Sengun. Unfortunately for Houston, Adams suffered a severe ankle injury early in the year, causing him to miss the final 50 games of the season and the playoffs. This has become an all-too-familiar theme for Adams over recent years, as the big man from New Zealand has missed 196 of a possible 328 regular season games (59.75%) in the last four seasons.
But, when on the floor, Adams performed as advertised, averaging 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.6 blocks in 22.8 minutes per game. Adams was among the league’s best offensive rebounders, tying Donovan Clingan for the most offensive rebounds per game (4.5). That said, Adams has never been the most efficient scorer. His field goal percentage of 50.4% was the lowest since his rookie year, and although he improved his free-throw percentage by nearly 12% from a season prior, Adams still isn’t converting on even 60% of attempts from the line (58%). But despite his offensive imperfections, Adams fulfilled the expectations of his role. Furthermore, the 12-year veteran adds some intangible value as well, known throughout the league to be a good mentor and teammate. With two more seasons left on his current contract, the Rockets will hope that the 32-year-old’s health can improve as he ages.
Overall grade: B
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Houston Rockets 2025-26 player grades: Steven Adams
Reporting by Mack Baltes, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
