During the 2016-17 season -- the first season after Steven Adams got a four-year, $100 million contract – it felt like the Thunder center was overpaid by a few million dollars.
He had what then were career-best averages of 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds, but his shooting percentage dropped to .571 from .613 in 2015-16. He was OK. Not great. Just OK. He didn’t progress as expected.
This season, Adams is paid $22.5 million. He is one of 33 NBA players to be at or beyond that level of salary, and he now seems a lot more worthy of that big contract.
In advance of Thursday’s assignment at San Antonio, Adams again has career-high averages of 14.1 points and 9.0 rebounds. Beyond the numbers, his toughness has been a constant during a Thunder season defined mostly by underachievement.
