Report: Grizzlies trade Steven Adams to Rockets for Victor Oladipo, picks
It's rare two players who have not set foot on a court all season due to injuries are traded for each other, but here we are.
The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to send center Steven Adams to Houston for Victor Oladipo and three second-round picks, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
For the Rockets, this is a move about next season. They trade away a player not in their rotation in Oladipo — he has not set foot on a court since last April due to a patellar tendon injury in his left knee — and some second-round picks to get a player who can be a backup for emerging star Alpren Şengün. Adams is a solid big man who sets strong screens and is a beast on the boards, he will fit right in with the Rockets style of play.
Adams has been battling knee issues for more than a year, but had surgery and is expected to be healthy and ready to play next season.
Memphis gets off the $12.6 million Adams is owed next season, taking on Oladipo and his expiring contract. With the Grizzlies headed toward a financial cliff as all their young players are due raises, this money matters. Plus, they pick up a few second-round picks in the process.
It's not a blockbuster trade, but it works for both teams. Expect more of this kind of trade — teams swapping back-of-the-rotation guys — between now and the Feb. 8 trade deadline. There is not likely to be blockbusters, but more this size deal.
