NBA: Grizzlies trade Steven Adams for Victor Oladipo, draft picks

FILE – Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams looks down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Jan. 22, 2023, in Phoenix. The Grizzlies traded Adams to the Houston Rockets for guard Victor Oladipo and three draft picks on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

Memphis, Tennessee— The Memphis Grizzlies traded center Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets for guard Victor Oladipo and three draft picks on Thursday night.

Neither Adams nor Oladipo has played this NBA season because of injuries.

The Grizzlies, who announced the deal late Thursday night, said they acquired three second-round draft picks from the Rockets in the trade. ESPN reported two of the picks will be in this year’s draft and the other one in 2025.

Adams was hurt last season and had surgery on his right knee just before the start of this season. He’s expected to miss the entire season, but should be ready to play next season.

Adams, the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft out of Pittsburgh, played two years with the Grizzlies before the knee injury and averaged 8.6 points and 11.5 rebounds, including a 5.1 average in offensive rebounds. He played seven seasons with Oklahoma City and one with the New Orleans Pelicans before coming to Memphis.

Oladipo, who also has dealt with injuries, has a career average of 16.9 points a game since he was selected out of Indiana with the second overall pick in 2013. But his scoring average has decreased over the last three years.

Oladipo’s best NBA season came in 2017-18 when he averaged 23.1 points with Indiana, along with 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game.