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New Zealand-born centre Steven Adams has signed a two-year extension with the Memphis Grizzlies, who emerged as the second seed in the preceding 2021-22 season. Adams will be signing a $25.2 million extension, which will be keeping him in Memphis through the 2024-2025 season. The update was confirmed by his agent, Darren Matsubara of Wasserman, to ESPN.
Adams arrived in Memphis in the offseason trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, where he spent a season. Before New Orleans. Before this New Zealander played his first seven NBA seasons on several championship-contending teams with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Adams has averaged averages of 9.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 26.8 minutes and holds the eighth-highest field goal percentage (.587) in NBA history.
Talking about the last season, Steven Adams put up 6.9 points and 10 rebounds for the Grind City. Along with these crucial tangible contributions, he also brought in toughness, and leadership, which made him indispensable for a franchise who are pushing for a championship.
The 29-year-old led the NBA last season in offensive rebounds at an average of 4.6 rebounds per game, totaling 349. With this tally, he broke the single-season Grizzlies records previously set by Zach Randolph during the 2009-10 season. Adams’ constant aggression helped Memphis top the league with 18.6 second-chance points per game, which is the highest since the NBA started tracking the stat in the 1996-97 season.
The Grizzlies released a statement regarding the extension which said, “The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that the team signed centre Steven Adams to a multi-year contract extension. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.”
The Memphis Grizzlies started the 2022-23 season with a 107-102 win in their pre-season fixture agains the Milwaukee Bucks. Rookie David Roddy scored 18 points and two-way player Kenny Lofton Jr. put up 17 as the Grind City had a late run to push for a victory.