Rockets have an MVP candidate no one wants to acknowledge (and it's not Kevin Durant)

As the Houston Rockets have begun the season with a 5-3 record, having established themselves as one of the most formidable offenses in the NBA, their acquisition of superstar-caliber scorer Kevin Durant is certainly the move that has raised them to that echelon.

Yet, at the same time, franchise center Alperen Sengun is having potentially the best season of his young career, and, as it stands, his rejuvenated performance could put him into serious MVP conversations when the time comes.

Although Sengun had already emerged as one of the best centers in the NBA over his first four seasons in the league, the steps forward that he has taken in both his scoring versatility and his playmaking abilities this year could wake the world up to just how impactful he has become for this Rockets team.

Alperen Sengun could be a serious MVP candidate this season if he maintains this level of performance

As Houston ascended to the second seed in the Western Conference last season, it was, in part, the steps that Sengun took on the defensive end that enabled them to do so. Although, through his first few seasons in the league, he had already become one of the most graceful paint scorers in the NBA, his development as a rim protector helped solidify the Rockets' aggressive defensive front, enabling them to bully their way to the top of the conference.

Yet, with Durant on the roster and starting point guard Fred VanVleet set to miss the season with a torn ACL, a whole new set of demands were placed on Sengun this season.

Not only has he been expected to be one of the team's most impactful scorers, he has also taken on a role as a primary facilitator, and he has excelled in both facets this season.

Through his first eight games, Sengun is averaging 22.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks, and, to top it all off, he's shooting 37% from 3-point range. Durant, who is the leading scorer on the team, is averaging 24 points per game, meaning that Sengun, in addition to all his other responsibilites, has also established himself as the bona-fide number two scorer behind one of the most efficient offensive players in the league.

Impressive, right?

Of course, any case Sengun might have for the MVP award will depend upon the Rockets' success as a team, and, in their first eight games, they have shown flashes of both their floor and their ceiling as an offense.

Yet, if Houston can secure a top-two seed in the West yet again, with Sengun being by far their most impactful player, it will be difficult to deny his budding case for the award: a fact that should give Rockets' fans ample reason for excitement.