The first domino of the free agent big market fell on Saturday as Rockets center Steven Adams agreed to an extension with the Houston Rockets. The veteran gets a new three-year deal worth $39 million that won’t become official until the new league year begins next month, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.com. The deal is also fully guaranteed.
The 32-year-old Adams was acquired by the Rockets in a trade in February 2024 and bounced back from injury last season to be a vital contributor for the Rockets off the bench this postseason in a hard fought seven-game series loss to the Warriors. He grabbed 3.3 offensive rebounds per game in 22 minutes during the playoffs as Ime Udoka utilized a double big look with him regularly for top-notch defense.
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Adams will get a slight raise in his new deal which is fascinating when it comes to the market awaiting free agent Celtics centers like Al Horford and Luke Kornet as they hit the open market. Horford’s future remains an open question mark after he pivoted on his stance about returning for one more season in Boston in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear and a second-round exit for Boston. Kornet is set to hit free agency after his best season in Boston, posting 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds over 73 games.
There will not be a lot of action on the free agent market this summer due to a lack of open cap space and multiple players already agreeing with extensions for teams. Adams was expected to be one of the best bigs available on the center market. Without him, here’s a list of names that are expected to be available.
2025 Free Agent Bigs
Clint Capela
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Larry Nance Jr.
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
DeAndre Jordan
Paul Reed
Kevon Looney
Myles Turner
Jaxson Hayes
Brook Lopez
Julius Randle (#30 million player option)
Naz Reid
Precious Achiwua
Guerschon Yabusele
Mason Plumlee
Trey Lyles
Chris Boucher
Some of the bigger names on this list (Randle, Reid, Turner) should go for much more than mid-level exception in the wake of their team’s success in the postseason. Beyond them, Kornet and Horford could still be some of the more appealing names on this list, fetching offers for at least the taxpayer mid-level exception (or more) from potential suitors. How much the Celtics are willing to offer either player beyond a veteran’s minimum will be intriguing to watch amid a financial crunch, but Boston reducing payroll elsewhere will increase the odds of that possibility.
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Boston still holds Bird Rights on Horford and Kornet, so they can offer them any salary they want once free agency begins. Otherwise, Boston will only have veteran minimum contracts to offer free agent bigs from other teams. The team could also look to the NBA Draft and trades to fill a frontcourt void if Horford or Kornet does not return.
Free agency kicks off on June 30th at 6 p.m.
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