The Rockets hope to sign back to the inside veteran, and the Bucks starting center has become their spare tire?

According to The Athletic's Houston Rockets reporter Kelly Iko, if the Rockets cannot re-sign Steven Adams this summer, they may pursue Brook Lopez.

Iko said that Adams, 31, just returned from a right knee injury this season and played a key role in Ime Udoka's rotation lineup. He showed quite good strength during the playoffs. He has a very outstanding role in rebounding protection and rim protection, which is also an important reason why the Rockets want to renew their contract this summer. At the same time, Adams has also attracted the attention of some playoff-level teams, including the ideal reinforcement goals for teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, the New York Knicks, the Indiana Pacers, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. But if the Rockets can't sign Adams smoothly, or if he's intercepted by other teams, they may also turn their attention to Milwaukee veteran Lopez, who is about to become a full free agent.

In the NBA regular season this season, Adams played 58 games in 82 games, averaging 13.7 minutes per game, averaging 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 0.9 turnovers and 1 foul. His shooting percentage was 54.5%, and his free throw percentage was 46.2%. In the playoffs, Adams played 7 games in total, with averaging 22.1 minutes per game, with averaging 5.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.1 block, and 0.7 turnovers and 1 foul. His shooting percentage was 60% and his free throw shooting percentage was 53.3%.

In the NBA regular season this season, Lopez made a total of 80 appearances in 82 games, averaging 31.8 minutes per game, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 turnovers and 2.1 fouls, shooting percentage of 50.9%, three-point shooting percentage of 37.3%, and free throw shooting percentage of 82.6%. In the playoffs, Lopez played 5 games in total, with averaging 14.8 minutes per game, with averaging 5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1 block, and 0.8 turnovers and 2.2 fouls. His shooting percentage was 36.4%, his three-point shooting percentage was 26.7%, and his free throw shooting percentage was 100%.

It is obvious that Adams is a better choice for the Rockets. He has been on the team for a whole season, his performance in the playoffs is also quite highlighted, and he is willing to take on the role of a substitute center. In contrast, Lopez's performance during the playoffs this season was a mess, his competitiveness was seriously insufficient, and he may not be willing to significantly reduce his playing time. I don't know if the Rockets can get what they want this summer and stay Adams.