Thunder Trade: Re-Evaluating the Steven Adams Transaction

In November of last year, the OKC Thunder traded away fan favorite Steven Adams as they tore down the roster.

Steven Adams became a fan favorite during his seven seasons with the Thunder. Through all of the roster change over the past half-decade, Adams was the longest-tentured Thunder at the close of the 2019-20 season. 

When the Oklahoma City fully tore down their roster as they looked to re-tool around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Adams being traded was inevitable and something Thunder fans would be heartbroken over.

In November of last year, the Thunder would send Adams away to the New Orleans Pelicans in four-team deal that also included the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks.

In exchange for Adams, the Oklahoma City acquired a future first-round draft pick (via Denver), George Hill (via Milwaukee), and Zylan Cheatham, Josh Gray, Darius Miller and Kenrich Williams (all via New Orleans). They would also receive two second-round draft picks from the Pelicans (2023 via Washington, 2024 via Charlotte). Cheatham and Gray would be cut before the start of the 2020-21 season and Miller was waived mid-season. 

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The Pelicans would receive Adams and Eric Bledsoe (via Milwaukee), along with two future first-round picks from the Bucks plus the right to swap two additional first rounders picks with them in the future. 

The Bucks would get their third superstar in Jrue Holiday, the draft rights to Sam Merrill and the No. 60 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft (via New Orleans).

The Nuggets got the draft rights to R.J. Hampton, who was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft (via Milwaukee).

Thunder GM Sam Presti continued to derive value from the original Adams deal later on, trading George Hill who he got in that trade at the deadline. He would receive former first-round pick Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers (who would later be waived) and two future Sixers' second-round picks (2025 and 2026).

That means when it was all said and done, trading away Steven Adams resulted in OKC getting Tony Bradley, Kenrich Williams, a first round pick and four second-round picks.

Adams got an extension immediately upon being moved to New Orleans, worth $35 million over two years. The former Thunder fan favorite averaged 7.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor in his first season with the Pelicans.