The Houston Rockets checked off one of the biggest items from their offseason to-do list on Saturday by re-signing Steven Adams to a three-year, $39 million deal. Perhaps their most important pending free agent is now officially off the market.
Bringing back a crucial piece of the puzzle in Adams will be huge for the Rockets as they look to take another step forward next season. Adams stepped up in a big way in the postseason, creating a lethal frontcourt duo with Alperen Sengun against the Golden State Warriors. The two-big lineup will once again be key for head coach Ime Udoka.
Now, Rockets fans are wondering what's next for the Houston front office.
Rockets Need to Extend Fred VanVleet's Contract Next
The Rockets' next move is an obvious one as a busy offseason looms. As NBA cap expert Yossi Gozlan pointed out on X, the Rockets must agree on a new long-term deal with starting point guard Fred VanVleet.
Steven Adams extending this early could indicate confidence in the Rockets agreeing to a restructured contract with Fred VanVleet.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) June 14, 2025
They could get below the aprons and luxury tax by waiving non-guaranteed players, trading the 10th pick, and reducing VanVleet’s salary by ~25% from… pic.twitter.com/gGs1ykE7NA
Houston has a $44.8 million team option on VanVleet for the 2025-26 NBA season.
Declining that option to give the veteran guard a multi-year deal makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Rockets would go below the aprons and avoid paying the luxury tax while retaining one of their best players long-term. A three or four-year deal with an annual average salary between $30 and $35 million is probably the sweet spot for sides to agree on.
Since joining the Rockets in 2023, the former Wichita State product has averaged 15.9 points, 6.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals while shooting 40.0% from the floor and 36.9% from deep in 133 games.
The best part of getting these deals done for Adams and VanVleet is that it doesn't preclude the Rockets from being aggressive on the trade market. They still have flexibility going forward and are loaded with young assets and draft capital. Plus, both veterans would be on tradeable contracts that can be used for salary matching if the Rockets decide to go a different route or chase a superstar in the near future.
With how quickly June is flying by, the Rockets must lock VanVleet down sooner rather than later.