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Brook Lopez will be one of the most sought-after free agents this summer despite being 35 years old. Lopez is coming off the best season of his career, wherein he was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year.
The latest NBA rumors suggest that one of the interested teams in Lopez is the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Milwaukee Bucks might have a hard time offering Lopez a contract he likes. That's where the Rockets and their league-high $60 million cap space come in.
"The Bucks are facing Brook Lopez's free agency," Wojnarowski said. "There's an expectation that the Houston Rockets, flushed with a lot of salary cap space, are going to be a real threat for Lopez."
The Houston Rockets are entering the next phase of their rebuild after selecting Amen Thompson in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Rockets need to start winning games and possibly improve their poor record from last season. They also hired Ime Udoka as head coach, but a veteran voice for the locker room is needed.
Brook Lopez is certainly a veteran, who has championship experience to help a young team like the Rockets. Lopez is also coming off a season averaging 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and a career-high 2.5 blocks per game. He even shot a career-best 37.4% from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks could have a hard time paying Lopez due to their cap space problems. They will need to re-sign Khris Middleton, who declined his $40 million player option for next season.
How does Brook Lopez fit in Houston?
Brook Lopez remains one of the best defensive big men in the NBA. He's also among the best stretch centers in the league. He'll certainly be a valuable asset for the Houston Rockets if they end up signing him in free agency.
Lopez brings experience to a very young team that will need to take the next step in their development. The only negative in bringing in the veteran center is he could stunt the growth of Alperen Sengun.
The Turkish prospect had a promising second season, averaging 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
In his last 10 games of the season, Sengun averaged 15.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks. He has a very similar game to Nikola Jokic, who just led the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship.
While Sengun doesn't have the ceiling of a Jokic, he might develop into one of the best big men in the league. He can rebound and pass, while his scoring and shooting need development.
