Training camp is still nearly two weeks away, but the Houston Rockets already have a pretty clear picture in the middle. The real question isn’t who starts at center - that spot looks locked in - but how the rest of the rotation shakes out behind Alperen Sengun.
Sengun, the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has grown into one of Houston’s most important young pieces. The 24-year-old is coming off his second straight All-Star nod and is expected to open the season as the starter at the five. Last season, he put up 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists across 72 games, production that kept him in the conversation with the league’s best passing bigs.
He finished with the second-most assists per game among centers last season, which is a big reason he’s often compared to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. If Sengun keeps advancing as a playmaker and adds more to his mid-range and long-range game, the ceiling starts to look very high.
Behind him, Steven Adams gives Houston a very different kind of center. The Rockets acquired Adams in 2024 in a deal that sent Victor Oladipo and draft compensation the other way, and when he’s available, he brings the kind of rebounding and physicality that can change the tone of a game.
Last season, the 33-year-old averaged 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds in 32 games, the fewest regular-season appearances of his NBA career. He’s also coming back from a season-ending ankle injury suffered in January.
There’s also some overlap in how Houston may use its frontcourt pieces. Jabari Smith Jr. is projected to start at power forward, but he could take some of the minutes that might otherwise go to Adams. That could help the Rockets manage Adams’ workload and limit the injury risk that comes with asking him to absorb too much of the backup center load.
Clint Capela rounds out the group, and his return gives Houston another familiar face in the paint. He signed with the Rockets in free agency in 2025, marking his second stint with the team after originally joining as the No. 25 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Last season, Capela averaged 3.8 points and 4.6 rebounds over 75 games, numbers that dipped because of his limited role.
Even so, Capela remains an efficient interior presence, and that matters in a center room where minutes are going to be tight if everyone is healthy. Oscar Tshiebwe and Rafael Castro could work their way higher into the mix, but for now Capela is expected to hold the edge heading into camp.
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