Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams admits he's still trying to figure out where he fits on the Houston Rockets roster, with his 12th season on his fourth team looming.
Adams, 31, began the 2023/24 season with Memphis Grizzlies, but was sidelined through the entire campaign with a knee injury and traded to the Rockets from mid-season.
As NBA teams gather for pre-season camps, the tough centre has made his first appearance in his new uniform, but seems short of answers on his changed circumstances.
"My impact is I don't know," he admitted at Rockets media day. "I just don't have enough information right now.
"I've played a few pick-up games, but that's very different from actual structured environment and trying to pick your spots. I still have to figure that stuff out.
"Ask that question to me in about a month and I'll have a way better answer for you."
The pair were previously teammates at Memphis Grizzlies. (Source: Supplied)
After commanding a starting role on Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and Grizzlies previously, Adams steps into a strange locker-room where he will likely come off the bench behind promising Turkish centre Alperen Sengun.
The 22-year-old incumbent also had his season end early with injury in March, but averaged 21.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in 63 games, establishing himself as a key piece of Houston's current rebuild.
Four years ago, the Rockets were the worst team in the league, winning just 17 of 82 games in 2020/21. They were still worst (20-62) the follow season, but improved to 41-41 last year, as their young talent was supplemented by veteran additions — like Adams.
He is expected to assist that process, but hasn't established any rapport with Sengun yet.
"He's got a very good feel for the game," says Adams of his new protege. "He can score many different ways.
"What's good about him is his body language is very unorthodox. It's hard to read him, because he can be in a very awkward position — it's actually a really good position for him, but when you're processing as a defender, you think it's not.
"He's got a lot of good tools and he's definitely hungry."
Adams is still not up to full speed in his recovery. After he initially hoped to heal the posterior cruciate ligament without surgery, he eventually succumbed and is now in the midst of a two-year rehabilitation.
"It's unrestricted, I just have to be smart with gameplay and stuff," he said. "It doesn't mean you can't play, it just means you have to be careful."
Reputed as one of the NBA's tough guys, a master of the offensive rebound and setting screens to free teammates, he has struggled with his absence from the court.
"How hard emotionally?" mused Adams. "It sucks... it feels bad, dude.
"You've just got to rewire your brain a little bit. Typically, you play as a performance indicator — you win or lose — but you have to focus on the small wins, especially in the rehab process.
"Just reel it back in."
Houston have four pre-season games scheduled this month, beginning against Utah Jazz on October 8, before opening their regular season at home against Charlotte Hornets on October 24.
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