Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün is emerging as one of the league's best young centers, but that may not have happened if Brook Lopez signed with the team this offseason.
Lopez received considerable interest from the Rockets during free agency, but ultimately re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.
"Much was made of the free agent whom the Houston Rockets failed to sign, but Brook Lopez would have only been in the way of Alperen Şengün," Bleacher Report writes. "The Rockets should view their close call with Lopez as a bullet dodged since Şengün is already their best player and is on the fast track to stardom."
Şengün, 21, is averaging 21.0 points, nine rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. His defense has also improved, and Houston's defensive rating currently ranks fourth in the NBA. That isn't to say Lopez wouldn't have had the Rockets' defense in the same spot, but it shows that Houston is doing just fine without him.
Lopez, 35, signed a two-year, $48 million deal with the Bucks this offseason ... just a smidge above what the Rockets were offering. He's averaging 13.2 points and five rebounds per game, both a step below what Şengün is producing.
Şengün and the Rockets are back in action tomorrow night when they travel to Mile High to face Nikola Jokic and the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and can be watched locally on the Space City Home Network or out of market on NBA League Pass.
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