Rockets have made their stance on Steven Adams crystal clear

As the Houston Rockets enter the 2025-26 season, much attention has deservedly been devoted to their peculiar arrangement of centers and the roles that each one will take on.

Yet, while signing center Clint Capela to a three-year, $21.5 million deal might have been a confusing move on the part of the organization, it does signal a certain lack of faith in the continued availability and dominance of backup center Steven Adams.

While the fact that Adams, 32, also re-signed with the organization this offseason on a three-year, $39 million deal makes it clear that the Rockets still have a profound need for his services, the lingering questions regarding his long-term health may ultimately prove to be what spurred the Capela move.

The Rockets needed a backup plan for Steven Adams

When Adams began his play for Houston early last season, it quickly became clear that they had a weapon on their hands they may not have fully anticipated: their formidable double-big lineup.

Across the 150 minutes that Sengun and Adams played on the floor together last season, the Rockets posted an increase in their net rating of 32. When they went to the jumbo double-big lineup, which included Jabari Smith Jr. , the difference was an astounding 41.1.

Moreover, in their first-round matchup against the Golden State Warriors, Sengun and Adams played over a quarter of the team's total minutes together in an effort to exploit their rivals' lack of size on the interior.

Therefore, although Adams certainly had suitors in free agency, Houston could not afford to give up such a central piece to their rotation.

Yet, at the same time, it is appearing more and more likely that Adams' physicality and health will need to be monitored as his career winds down. He missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season due to surgery on his knee, and he only played in 58 games last season as a result of a calf injury and an ankle sprain.

While Capela is only two years younger, he has, for the most part, a cleaner bill of health, and, in signing Capela, the team has signified that they do not have complete faith in Adams to stay healthy.

With a 6'10" Capela in the rotation, the team can run its double-big lineup as often as they so desire, effectively guaranteeing the continued effectiveness of the strategy regardless of Adams' health. Therefore, although Capela might seem redundant in the rotation as it currently stands, his presence shows a clear glimpse of the future of Adams' role with the Rockets.