Longtime mentor Kenny McFadden has endorsed the Steven Adams trade to New Orleans Pelicans as a move in the right direction for the big man's career.
McFadden has played a huge role in grooming Adams for his NBA career, discovering him as a 14-year-old and developing him as New Zealand’s next big basketball export.
The former NBL star brought Adams from Rotorua to his Wellington academy, where he trained him day and night, before helping him land a scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh.
The trade has been officially confirmed, with the Thunder paying tribute to the Kiwi centre, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Oklahoma City.
"Steven Adams will hold a special place in our organisational legacy," says Thunder general manager Sam Presti. "On and off the floor, Steven contributed to our teams and community in unique ways, and his place in Thunder history is secured."
New Orleans hired Steven Van Gundy as their new head coach last month and McFadden feels the new coaching group really targeted Adams.
"With the new coaching staff and the new philosophy they bring, I think they targeted him and are all comfortable with what he brings," McFadden says.
Van Gundy obviously has confidence in Adams, immediately handing him a new two-year contract that caught McFadden off guard.
"It shows the sort of confidence they have in him," he says. "I'm quite sure he's willing to go there now, put his bags down and unpack, because at the end of the day, you want to know you're wanted and the extension shows that."
McFadden is pretty clear on the role he thinks Adams will play on his new team.
"He'll come in with a veteran presence. He arrived at OKC as a rookie - now this time, he'll arrive and need to provide a bit of leadership.
"He'll provide that voice and solid backbone on the defence, and definitely a rim protector.
"At the end of the day, anybody who is a jump shooter like [Brandon] Ingram or [Lonzo] Ball, they're going to get open from those big screens between him and Zion Williamson. I just feel for the other guys that have got to feel that power of those screens."
