Contract Extension Decisions Looming This Offseason For Rockets

Under the terms of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, the Houston Rockets have the opportunity to extend the contracts of two key Rockets, center Alperen Sengun and shooting guard Jalen Green, as early as this summer. Both former 2021 first round picks will be entering the fourth seasons of their rookie contracts. Green was selected second overall and Sengun, selected 16th, was acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night.

During media availability on Tuesday, general manager Rafael Stone addressed these key decisions regarding the young franchise cornerstones stating that he would talk to any player, at any time, and wanted to have a relationship based on communication. Stone noted that the team would have conversations and consider the advantages to extensions but that, under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, while teams have the opportunity to extend players at this juncture of their rookie contracts, they do not necessarily have to in order to retain those players’ rights; teams can revisit talks the following summer. Stone added that there wasn’t a gun to the team’s head.

Each player has shown promise. Sengun thrust himself into the All-Star conversation this season, emerging as the team’s primary option and a potent low-post scoring and passing threat. Empowered by first year Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, Sengun averaged a gaudy statline of 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 rebounds per game on the season, drawing comparisons to former MVP Nikola Jokic. Under Udoka, Sengun saw a massive upgrade in his usage this season, up from 21.4% last season to 27.0% this season. He was eventually lost for the season after suffering an ankle injury in a win against the Sacramento Kings.

Green, overall, had a more disappointing season, averaging 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, but on just 42.3% shooting from the floor and 33.2% from long distance. However, Green exploded in March, averaging 27.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 49.2% shooting from the floor and a scorching 40.8% from long distance, claiming Western Conference Player of the Month honors. That impressive stretch, with Sengun sidelined, led many observers to believe that Green still possibly could one day realize the immense potential which led pre-draft scouts to believe he could some day lead the league in scoring. The question for Green is consistency. Can he put it all together, particularly his shooting, over the course of a full season? And would the Rockets feel comfortable extending Green at a high pricetag, unnecessarily, when questions still remain regarding his efficiency?

And along those lines, it’s still not entirely certain whether Rockets management has bought in to the idea of Sengun as its long term answer at center. Houston tried in vain last offseason to lure Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez in free agency, presumably to start at center in place of Sengun.

Under the terms of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, all rookie scale extensions can now last five seasons.