OKC Thunder big man Steven Adams is officially headed to New Orleans following a late-night trade between the Pelicans and Thunder.
New Orleans is finalizing deal to acquire Steven Adams from Oklahoma City, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. https://t.co/Hx5MSXIgF9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Adams, 27, is one of the NBA’s most intriguing bigs. With a more traditional playstyle, he adds size, scoring, and defense around the rim.
Last season, the 6-11 center averaged 10.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 59% shooting.
For the Pelicans, the acquisition is no doubt a direct response to losing two of their bigs on Friday: Jahlil Okafor and Derrick Favors. With Adams, the Pels hope he can make up for their absence and provide size and backup around the rim on both ends of the floor.
With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, New Orleans will be looking to make a playoff push in this next campaign.
The question is: what other moves can this team make in the next few days? With Adams, they have some reinforcements in the frontcourt. But they’ll need more if they want to compete with the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Blazers.
It will be interesting to see how things progress.
