Hours before the first win of the season for the Houston Rockets, a report unearthed some critical questions and information that need to be addressed across the league. Amid the many questions , the key part for Houston revolved around the future of Rockets star Jalen Green. Shortly after reports stated Jalen Green’s contract extension was his gateway out of the franchise, the new report stated that Green may not be a “foundational piece” in Houston. Going on the road to San Antonio, Green most likely heard this rumor before facing the Spurs. Hearing that your team is rumored to perhaps not fully believe in you would add pressure to anyone’s confidence. But that didn’t happen for Jalen.
Rockets Star Jalen Green Impresses Gregg Popovich Amid Major Rockets Future Role Turmoil
Facing the Spurs on Saturday night, the Rockets started the game poorly and faced a 22-point deficit to overcome at the half. This was the moment Green decided he was not waiting for someone else to step up. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, the team heavily relied on Jalen to carry the team’s offense. Green’s gifted athleticism makes him a tough matchup especially one on one. The Rockets used that to their advantage and rallied back to a one-possession game. Unfortunately, the Rockets lost the game 109-106. While the rest of the team let Green down in the clutch, he surely caught Gregg Popovich‘s eye.
During the post-game press conference, the five-time NBA champion voiced his respect for the 22-year-old Rockets guard. He said,
“I thought we did a good job (defensively) until the very end when they (Houston) isolated and just went one-on-one because they got a couple of guys that are hard to stay in front of for us. That got them back in the ballgame. The one-on-one stuff by Jalen Green and a couple of other guys were really tough to negotiate.”
Question: “What did you think of your defense.”
Popovich: “Great, except late … Green one on one is tough to negotiate.”
The NBA will be loading up on Jalen’s drives if we don’t improve our half-court actions. pic.twitter.com/Ibzryg6nYq
— heypartner (@theheypartner) October 27, 2024
What does this mean for Jalen Green?
Green should not focus on the rumor mill as it will constantly contemplate his future. His contract puts him in a vulnerable position to be traded since the third year of his contract extension is a player option. The exact rookie-scale extension Green agreed to is a three-year, $106 million deal with a $38 million player option in 2026-27. It was the first time a rookie-scale extension was done in that fashion.
However, he needs to be more consistent as the Rockets have playoff expectations this year. He is averaging 26.3 points per contest through three games on 40.9% shooting from the field. He has also connected on 36.4% of his three-point tries. If he steps up like this more consistently and impresses more people around the league, the front office will realize his value and not look to trade him. Thus, consistency is the key to becoming a foundational piece of the team. Impressing Ime Udoka’s mentor, Gregg Popovich, is a great start for Jalen. However, Green needs to repeatedly trouble championship contenders to gain the front office and the city’s confidence in him.
