National Basketball Association

NBA Rumors: Steven Adams nearing four-year extension with Oklahoma City Thunder

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have no plans to let center Steven Adams walk in restricted free agency. They are negotiating a four-year extension with the big man.

The infamous James Harden trade with the Houston Rockets initially looked like one of the most lopsided deals in NBA history. The Oklahoma City Thunder got an underwhelming sharpshooter in Kevin Martin and a future draft pick.

Well, that draft pick turned into promising center Steven Adams, who Oklahoma City drafted at No. 12 in the 2013 NBA Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. Adams has been a key piece for the Thunder the last few years. Now it doesn’t seem like he is leaving Oklahoma City in his 2017 restricted free agency.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical of Yahoo! Sports, “Oklahoma City and center Steven Adams making significant progress on a 4-year, $100M contract extension.”

Oklahoma City and center Steven Adams making significant progress on a 4-year, $100M contract extension, league sources tell @TheVertical.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) October 31, 2016

Adams was set to make $3,140,517 in the final year of his rookie contract. It’s always advantageous for former first round picks to re-up with their current team before hitting restricted free agency. These guys in the early 20s will end up making more money by staying put with their respective teams, per the current collective bargaining agreement.

With reports of this four-year extension, it means that Thunder general manager Sam Presti views Adams as a franchise cornerstone. Oklahoma City needed another player to build a core with point guard Russell Westbrook these next few years.

If there is any consolation prize to trading away Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic or losing Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors this summer, it’s that the Thunder could pay both Westbrook and Adams handsomely before they hit free this upcoming summer. Re-upping with Adams was a no-brainer for the Thunder brass to make.