ADB requires USB debugging to be enabled, yes, although modifying the appops settings (App Ops = app that can modify appops on the device itself using ADB, appops = android service that handles application permissions and application operations) doesn't need it to be continuously enabled.

You can just activate it, change the settings and disable it afterwards. Pretty annoying but it is what it is.

This doesn't require root either, although enabling USB debugging is an important step towards rooting, which is probably why you think it's related.