Mark D. Smith - USA TODAY Sports

After the 2012-13 season there were no mysteries about what type of player the Thunder were going to draft. They had the 12th pick and they needed a big man. OKC fans were in the midst of screaming for Perkins’ head, and no matter whether Presti listened or not (he didn’t) there was no hiding the inevitable: Perkins was overpriced and didn’t have any knees left. The Thunder needed a center for the future who could learn from Perk before he left town and who could dole out the same type of punishments. Enter Adams and his bone-crushing screens.

That was two seasons ago, and support for Adams has grown in similar fasion to his hair and personality. Energy (diving for loose balls and sprinting back on defense) and strength (he isn’t getting moved by anyone on defense) will never be in short supply for Steven Adams. The raw athleticism and potential have always been there, but his game is continuing to expand. I’ve ignored defense for this post, because we already know the reason Billy Donovan appears to favor Adams in his starting lineup this season.

Here are a few things to look for with Adams this year:

Offense

Darren Abate – Associated Press

The potential has always been there for Adams. In only his fifth outing for the Thunder during his rookie season he dropped 17 points and 10 rebounds on Detroit when facing another up and coming inside force, Andre Drummond. He also added 3 blocks, a steal, and 3 assists while shooting 70 percent. Adams is strong, and his size and rugby background have set him up perfectly for battling around the basket.

The Thunder don’t expect, or need, Adams to put up those type of numbers on anything resembling a regular basis. His inside presence on the offensive end, however, results in lots of offensive rebounds, and any extra possesions in a lineup with the three-headed offensive snake of Durant-Westbrook-Ibaka is dangerous against any opponent.

Adams isn’t simply restricted to offensive rebounds though. He has been improving on a hook shot that has looked deadly at times. It will be interesting to see how it has improved in the offseason and how Coach Donovan may or may not utilize it. Additionaly, setting screens was a reason I was high on Adams coming out of Pitt in his single college season. Last year Adams would open up a direct path down the lane for Westbrook as he screened multiple defenders out of the way. With Durant injected back into the lineup, and with Donovan’s spacing offense, it will be intriging to see what using Adams as a moving wall can do for the Thunder.

Hands

David Zalubowski – Associated Press

Big men in the NBA are often referred to by their hands. How do they catch passes, and how is their touch around the basket? Kendrick Perkins had ‘bricks’ for hands. Enes Kanter has ‘soft’ hands. Where does Adams fall? Somewhere in between probably. Considering his skillset and those of Westbrook and Durant, having ‘soft’ hands will be important as Adams continues to grow.

In the past Adams has talked about practicing receiving rifle passes at his head to better prepare for working alongside Westbrook. Against the Mavs he caught one beautifully as Westbrook dumped it down to him under the basket, and then a few plays later it bounced off his hands out of bounds. Improving on consistency here could be a big plus for the Thunder.

Adams has a scar running down the back of the hand he broke last season; a reminder of the glove he wore for a good chunk of games and the halted progress in his post catches and especially his free throw shooting (despite making the lefty, one-hander seconds after braking his hand). In the preseason, Adams’ free throw shooting mechanics look improved, and he has mentioned free throw shooting as an area he worked on in the offseason. It’ll be interesting to see what difference it makes once there’s a larger sample size to go off of. Adams could be a major asset at the end of games defensively if he isn’t a liability with Hack-A-Kiwi.

Opponent Aggravation

Mark D. Smith – USA TODAY Sports

Adams has been the model pupil when it comes to ‘tricks of the trade.’ Big man coach Mark Bryant hasn’t been shy giving Adams tips on hooking arms, grabbing, and shoving opposing big men when battling down low without alerting the refs. By combining these talents with the stoic, calm demeanor he maintains throughout games he has found another useful skill: Aggravating his opponents.

His rookie season he tallied multiple opponent ejections for his efforts, but last season players adjusted enough to keep their rage in check. Less punches were thrown at Adams (see Zach Randolph) but frustrations still ran high, and in the game of basketball frustration easily turns into uncessesary fouls and easy mistakes.

If nothing else, it’s an amusing piece of Adams’ game and personality to follow, but there’s a reason guys in the NBA trash talk. Adams may have perfected it without needing to open his mouth. What to watch for is when the refs will catch on.

Steven Adams – Instagram

We know what Adams brings defensively. There’s only optimism in his development, and he’s a hard worker with offensive potential as well. Include his budding friendship with Nick Collison, chronicled here, and there’s a chance that his overall cerebral approach to the game builds as well.