As the Houston Rockets prepare for a pivotal offseason, re-signing veteran center Steven Adams has emerged as the team’s top free agency priority, according to The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko.
Adams, 31, will enter unrestricted free agency on June 30, alongside teammates Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate.
Team sources told The Athletic that while all three veterans are valued, Adams stands out as the player Houston most wants to retain.
The 12-year veteran appeared in 58 games during the regular season, averaging 5.6 rebounds and 3.9 points in just 13.7 minutes per game.
His role expanded during the postseason, where he contributed 6.6 rebounds and 5.7 points per game across seven contests, while shooting 60 percent from the field.
The Rockets view Adams as a vital presence in the locker room and a dependable option in playoff lineups, especially given his improved mobility and rim protection during the postseason.
Houston clinched the Southwest Division title this season and finished with a 52–30 record, securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Although their postseason run ended in a seven-game first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors, the organization sees the 2025 playoffs as a turning point and aims to build on that momentum.
According to Iko, if Adams chooses to sign elsewhere, the Rockets could pivot back toward Brook Lopez, who was previously on their radar.
Lopez, 37, started 80 games for Milwaukee in 2024–25 and averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 37.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Still, team insiders emphasized that bringing Adams back is the franchise’s “clear” internal preference.
By contrast, Green and Tate played limited minutes in both the regular season and playoffs and are not expected to be re-signed unless roster flexibility allows.
Green, 37, played only 31 games during the season and logged 1.7 minutes per game in the playoffs, while Tate averaged just 3.6 points across 52 appearances.
