NBA Trade Rumors: Steven Adams backed to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder

What's the rumor?

Over the last week, Steven Adams' future has been called into question after the Oklahoma City Thunder once again suffered an early playoff exit. The Kiwi struggled to make an impact against the Portland Trail Blazers, and as one of the team's highest earners, some have suggested that Adams could depart this summer.

However, during a lengthy press conference, general manager Sam Presti revealed that the Thunder still have plans for their starting center.

In case you didn't know...

Adams was selected by the Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and he has firmly established himself as Billy Donovan's starting center. The 25-year-old has started more than 400 regular season games during his six seasons in Oklahoma City, and over the course of the 2018-19 season, Adams averaged 13.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

The heart of the matter

"The No. 1 thing for him is he has got to become a better free-throw shooter. As a team if our free-throw shooting just gets to the league average it would have a significant impact on our offensive rating and net rating as result," Presti was quoted as saying.

"Maybe we can push Steven into a development phase where we can have him look at that. He can shoot the ball, and we've all seen it for years in the practice gym. Internal development is a lot of creativity and imagination and you've got to stick with that through the year," he added.

Adams is a firm fan favorite in Oklahoma City, and he has struck up a notable understanding with long-time teammate Russell Westbrook. The Thunder will need to free up funds this summer, but based on Presti's latest comments, it appears that Adams won't be the man to make way.

What's next?

Adams' season is now over following the Thunder's exit to Portland. However, Presti will face a busy summer as he looks to improve OKC's roster ahead of the 2019-20 season.