Team: Houston Rockets · Status: standard contract · Position: C · Age entering season: 33 · As of: 2026-07-18
2026-27 median projection
| GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | 3PM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 12.0 | .540 | .590 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
Nine-cat: specialist outside the top 180; FT% risk is low-volume but real. Reference points: 11.6 FP/G, grade D+. Dynasty: 1.0/10.
Role and evidence
Adams averaged 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.69 steals, and 0.63 blocks in 22.8 minutes across 32 games (Rockets game notes). Houston frequently used his offensive rebounding and double-big fit before the injury.
He underwent left-ankle surgery in January and missed the final 42 games; the team expected a full recovery. Şengün owns the main center role and Capela remains under contract, so medical clearance alone does not restore 23 minutes.
Range, confidence, and reversals
- Ceiling: fully healthy, Houston revives double-big lineups, and Adams plays 18-20 minutes for 7-8 rebounds; useful in deep points leagues.
- Floor: slow recovery or matchup-only role behind Şengün and Capela.
- Confidence: roster high; minutes low; rebound rate high; availability low.
- Streaming trigger: a Şengün absence is meaningful only if Adams is confirmed active and not capped.
Career record
Pre-NBA: Rotorua, New Zealand native; Wellington Saints (NZNBL, 2011), then one season at Pittsburgh (2012-13): 7.2 PTS, 6.3 REB, 2.0 BLK in 32 starts, Big East All-Rookie Team. Draft: 2013, Round 1, Pick 12, Oklahoma City.
| Season | Age | Team | GP | MPG | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PM | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 20 | OKC | 81 | 14.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .503 | .581 | 0.9 |
| 2014-15 | 21 | OKC | 70 | 25.3 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.0 | .544 | .502 | 1.4 |
| 2015-16 | 22 | OKC | 80 | 25.2 | 8.0 | 6.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .613 | .582 | 1.1 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | OKC | 80 | 29.9 | 11.3 | 7.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .571 | .611 | 1.8 |
| 2017-18 | 24 | OKC | 76 | 32.7 | 13.9 | 9.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .629 | .559 | 1.7 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | OKC | 80 | 33.4 | 13.9 | 9.5 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .595 | .500 | 1.7 |
| 2019-20 | 26 | OKC | 63 | 26.7 | 10.9 | 9.3 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .592 | .582 | 1.5 |
| 2020-21 | 27 | NOP | 58 | 27.7 | 7.6 | 8.9 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .614 | .444 | 1.3 |
| 2021-22 | 28 | MEM | 76 | 26.3 | 6.9 | 10.0 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .547 | .543 | 1.5 |
| 2022-23 | 29 | MEM | 42 | 27.0 | 8.6 | 11.5 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .597 | .364 | 1.9 |
| 2023-24 | 30 | MEM | 0 | — | did not play (right-knee PCL surgery) | ||||||||
| 2024-25 | 31 | HOU | 58 | 13.7 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .545 | .462 | 0.9 |
| 2025-26 | 32 | HOU | 32 | 22.8 | 5.8 | 8.6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | .504 | .580 | 1.1 |
| Career | — | — | 796 | 25.7 | 8.7 | 8.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | .584 | .534 | 1.4 |
Durability: Two careers in one body. Through 2018-19 he was an iron man (81, 70, 80, 80, 76, 80). Since: 63, 58, 76, then the right-knee PCL tear that limited 2022-23 to 42 games and erased all of 2023-24; a minutes-restricted 2024-25 (58 games at 13.7 MPG); and January 2026 left-ankle surgery that ended 2025-26 at 32 games. He has not finished a season healthy since 2021-22.
Trajectory: The record shows an elite offensive rebounder and screener whose per-minute board rate survived every injury — 8.6 REB in 22.8 minutes at age 32 is peak-Memphis rebounding efficiency — but whose availability has collapsed and whose FT% (career .534, .364 in 2022-23) makes him a hack-a-target. In 2026-27 he competes with Capela for the backup-center job behind Şengün, plus situational double-big minutes. He becomes fantasy-relevant in deep leagues only if he is cleared by camp and Udoka recommits to the double-big look for 18+ minutes; in 9-cat, even that ceiling carries an FT% tax.
Career sources: ESPN career stats · StatMuse season averages · Sports-Reference college
Open questions
- Is Adams cleared for full-speed camp work?
- Does he or Capela hold the primary backup-center job?
- Will Udoka still play Adams next to Şengün after adding more guard depth?