Oklahoma City Thunder: Is Steven Adams The Future At Center?

When the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Steven Adams with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, no one really knew what to think about the selection.

Adams was a little known 7-footer from New Zealand who had a sub-par freshman season at Pittsburgh, averaging 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. The general consensus around the selection was, “at this point it is hard to not trust what Sam Presti does in the draft.”

More from Oklahoma City Thunder

• 3 Steps for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to enter the MVP race next season
• 5 NBA teams on the rise that will surprise everyone in 2023-24
• 5 players who will challenge Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year
• What does Oklahoma City plan to do with an abundance of picks?
• Thunder Summer League: Notes from Holmgren’s chaotic yet magical play

I was one of those people who really doubted the selection, but I was going to give Presti the benefit of the doubt. After drafting

,

,

,

, and

in the first round as a general manager, you earn the trust of people.

Turns out, Presti was right again because Adams has the chance to be the future at the center position for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Adams only averaged 3.3 points per game along with 4.1 rebounds in 14.8 minutes in his rookie campaign.  The numbers are by no means eye-opening, but Adams did a lot of things well that he can build off moving forward.

For one, he is a physical beast. And when you are not going to get many shots playing with Durant, Ibaka, Westbrook, or Jackson, that is exactly what the Thunder need out of their potential center–do the dirty work.

Adams has no problems setting hard screens, fighting for loose balls, or challenging a player at the rim. In fact, that is just what he does. He makes up for his lack of skills in certain areas for how hard and tough he plays. For the Thunder at center, that is all they really need.

However, coming into his rookie year I thought Adams had zero skill on the offensive end, but that theory was disproved this year.

While Adams is not someone you can throw the ball into the post and expect a basket, he has good feet and hands as well as soft touch around the rim. Here are some examples of his soft touch around the basket in a 17-point performance against the Pistons last season.

Again, with the Thunder team for at least the next two seasons, that is all Adams really has to do around the basket.

Adams biggest problem last year was the speed of the game. While Adams is a physical player by nature, he could only play around 15 minutes per game last year because he was always in foul trouble. The speed of the game often had him out of position and late on defensive rotations, forcing him to be more foul prone. Adams averaged 8.4 fouls per 100 possessions. That is not ideal.

I expect the foul rate will decrease next year because Adams will be more adjusted to the game and have a better feel. However, I still don’t think Adams is the starting center next year.

There is an unexplainable loyalty for veteran Kendrick Perkins, who has been the starting center for the Thunder for more than three years now. Perkins was once a defensive wall, but now he may be the worst starter ever for a team that consistently wins 55-plus games.

Adams is the better option heading into next year and years down the road and while he may not start because Scott Brooks refuses to start anyone else at center, I think Adams will play more minutes next year than Perkins for a variety of reasons.

Adams finishes around the rim better. He shot 55.3 percent while Perkins shot 43.3 percent (below league average) on shots less than five feet. That easy dump off pass to a big from Durant or Westbrook is much more effective when it is to Adams than Perkins.

This is what Adams can give you and Perkins simply can’t at this point in his career.

Adams grabs nearly two times as many offensive rebounds when he is on the floor than Perkins does.

Adams is at least a threat off the pick and roll because of his touch around the rim. Teams ignore Perkins. Neither are great pick and roll options, but when teams just ignore you (like they do to Perkins), you can’t exploit the opposing defense like you would usually be able to with teams having to help on the weak side.

With Adams on the floor, the Thunder were nearly four points better per 100 possessions, according to Basketball Reference.

I am in no way bashing Perkins because I think he has done a lot of good things over the years with the Thunder. He is a great leader, can still defend top-post players at a high level, and has a great smile (kidding), but I think Adams is the future at center for the Thunder.

I think Presti was thinking the same thing a year ago.