It’s almost like the Houston Rockets aren’t reading the room.
Just days after Paul George left the Los Angeles Clippers and Klay Thompson left the Golden State Warriors over contract disputes, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports that “it’s unlikely either (Alperen) Şengün or (Jalen) Green receive max rookie extensions — both are eligible for a five-year deal worth up to $224.2 million…”
“Houston has had conversations with both camps concerning an extension and will continue dialogue during the offseason,” Iko adds, “but the chances of either player inking an agreement in the realm of fellow 2021 draftees Cade Cunningham ($236 million) or Scottie Barnes (potentially up to $270 million) are slim.”
Rockets’ Lack of Commitment to Key Players Could Backfire
To be frank, it’s unsurprising that the franchise is unwilling to extend Jalen Green a max contract extension. He’s produced well in terms of sheer volume. Among the 2021 NBA Draft class, he ranks second in points per game (19.8), trailing only former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham (20.0 points per game). He ranks just outside the top-five in assists per game (3.3) and top-10 in rebounds per game (4.1).
However, his career shooting splits (.421-.337-.794) highlight his main problem: inconsistency.
Night to night, it’s hard to tell what version of Green will come out. There have been many games where he’s looked every bit like the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. Other times, he floats around the court like Casper the Friendly Ghost, making just as much of an impact.
But now a father of two, Green appears to have taken his game up a notch. He’s still lighthearted and charismatic, bouncing around with a boyish grin. Nonetheless, Green is taking everything a bit more seriously now. The responsibilities that he has off the court have made him take more responsibility on it.
He’s active and effective defensively. He’s aggressive and assertive on the boards. Green even became more efficient, shooting with better balance and attacking the rim more directly. There needs to be more of that to prove he’s worthy of a max contract, but he’s trending in the right direction.
Players who average 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steal per game on .441-.368-.809 shooting splits —as Green did after the All-Star Break last season —don’t grow on trees. If the Rockets don’t recognize that or are unwilling to pay him for being that, he may be better off becoming a restricted free agent next offseason.
Should Green desire to leave Houston, it may not even come down to money, per se. Like Thompson, his departure may be more symbolic; a shot at the front office for their lack of commitment.
Even Baby Jokic?
Playing hardball with Alperen Sengun is even more of a head-scratcher.
Sure, he can still stand to improve defensively, but he’s not gouging points. Indeed, there are truly so few holes to his game, that it’s easier to coach him up than replace him. To that point, if the Rockets are looking for flawless players, they’ll be searching for a long time. If they’re hoping that defense wins championships, they must also remember that they need reliable scorers.
Fred VanVleet might help them get there, but he isn’t carrying Houston to a championship averaging 17.4 points per game on 41.6 percent shooting from the field, as he did last season. He isn’t leading the charge when he’s only converted 31.7 percent of his isolation attempts, as he did last season. Yet, they’re willing to pay him $82.7 million over the next two seasons.
Meanwhile, Sengun averaged 21.1 points per game on 53.7 percent shooting from the field in 2023-24. Getting into the advanced numbers, he shot 53.9 percent on post-ups, higher than even Pascal Siakam, who agreed to a max contract with Indiana Pacers hours into free agency. He scored 1.14 points per possession in the pick-and-roll, higher than Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid (1.11), the 2023 NBA MVP.
Without even knowing that he’s an offensive fulcrum whose low-post scoring, touch from the midrange, and passing ability have led to him being compared to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, it’s clear that he’s an impressive player.
.@alperennsengun talks about being called “Baby Jokić” and going up against top bigs like Embiid and Sabonis.
Full episode with @jj_redick drops 1/26: https://t.co/4OVLbWJYoC pic.twitter.com/oBjJKbdvIC
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) January 25, 2024
Sure, he’s coming off of a major leg injury. However, his game isn’t predicated on his run-and-jump ability. Therefore, there should be little concern about it diminishing his performance or potential.
Why risk alienating him like they’ve already done with Green?
