Where Does Rockets' Alperen Sengun Rank Among the NBA's No. 2 Options?

However, as great as Sengun's trajectory is at 23 years old, he'll slide to the No. 2 option on offense this season with the arrival of Kevin Durant. One of the greatest scorers of all time has brought his talents to Houston, raising the bar for a team that got to the postseason largely due to defense. But this time around, the Rockets have balanced out their game.

You could argue Sengun was already the No. 2 option behind Jalen Green last season, but Sengun was certainly a more efficient player, and his All-Star nod proves it. Durant taking over means the young center is an established 'sidekick' to the Slim Reaper, giving the Rockets a deadly offensive duo of an all-around flamethrower and a polished, playmaking big man.

But where does Sengun rank among the league's No. 2 options? In the modern NBA, a star's supporting cast is just as important as the star themselves. There's so much talent backing up the league's best players, so who else is playing a role similar to his?

At the top, you have the proven players: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Williams, De'Aaron Fox, and Jimmy Butler. You could also throw in Jamal Murray, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaren Jackson Jr., while certainly not forgetting the contributions of Bam Adebayo over the last few seasons.

For the LA Clippers, it's a 'pick your poison' situation between James Harden and a healthy Kawhi Leonard. Believe it or not, LeBron James is technically a No. 2 option on offense with the arrival of Luka Doncic.

Normally, Jaylen Brown and Pascal Siakam would find themselves here, but Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton's injuries will likely keep them out for the next year.

The NBA has so much talent, but while the list of second options is elite, Sengun is no doubt in the top third of sidekicks in the league, perhaps being ahead of some of those names in the seven-to-10 range. After injuries and poor team performances, he has a solid argument against guys like Adebayo and Jackson.

With his development on a great trajectory, Sengun is expected to have another elite season for one of the West's best teams. He has the chance to make an even more major name for himself with the media following Durant to one of the league's biggest markets.