Rockets have loudly been vindicated for controversial Steven Adams decision

When the Houston Rockets acquired Steven Adams last year, there were questions. By now, he's answered those questions: And then some.

Fan trepidation was understandable. The Rockets gave up three second-round picks for Adams. He was injured - and besides, we already have our starting big man, right? Adams can't play alongside Alperen Sengun, can he?

Ah...how young and naive we were.

Rockets' Adams acquisition has proven to be a genius decision

In some respects, the Rockets' identity revolves around Adams. They're leading the NBA in Offensive Rebounding Percentage, and Adams' 22.2% mark ranks third in the league in that category per NBA.com.

The results speak for themselves. Per CleaningTheGlass, the Rockets are +15.3 when Adams is on the floor. That lands in the 95th percentile league-wide.

If math isn't your thing: That's very good. When Adams is on the floor, the Rockets look like a serious title contender.

So, he's unequivocally proven himself comfortably worth the cost of a trio of second-round picks. That's indisputable. Realistically, he's arguably the best backup big man in the NBA.

It shouldn't come as a surprise. Adams' teams have performed well when he's been on the floor for his whole career. His outlier strength makes him one of the league's premier rebounders, and Adams' screening is the stuff of legends. Simply put, he's a player who impacts winning.

Could the Rockets want any more from him?

The Rockets wish Adams were more durable

Sure.

Adams has played in 17 of the Rockets' 21 games this year. That's a perfectly acceptable mark, but it's the reason for his absences that's slightly concerning. Adams is typically held out on back-to-backs.

When he sits, the Rockets struggle. He's a key player for this roster, so it would be optimal if he were simply able to play when healthy.

The Rockets signed Clint Capela to compensate for his absences this year, but so far, that's only panned out so well. Capela is significantly less impactful than Adams, so the swap doesn't quite work.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying Adams is particularly valuable.

Do we wish he could suit up more often? Sure. That said, that's a compliment. The bottom line is that Adams has easily vindicated the Rockets' decision to acquire him. Now, it's difficult to imagine the team without him.

That's pretty good for a cost of three second-round picks.