Houston Rockets better avoid max extensions this summer

Life is notoriously unfair.

We don’t always get what we deserve. Sometimes you have to be patient. Houston Rockets fans should keep this in mind.

Their favorite player may not get what he (thinks) he deserves this summer.

The Rockets likely won’t offer Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun max extensions this summer.

Inevitably, this will irk some fans. Those who love Sengun will be particularly irked. To be fair, he is coming off a season where he averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. With a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 4.9, Sengun looked like he could be a long-term cornerstone.

Why aren’t the Rockets offering him a max deal?

This has nothing to do with Sengun’s game, but everything to do with the cap sheet.

Sengun’s cap hit for 2024-25 is around $16 million. If the Rockets gave him a maximum extension, it would be significantly higher. This is simply a case of financial prudence on the part of the Rockets.

As for green, that probably has more to do with merit.

Last year, Green averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. His BPM was -0.5 and his True Shooting % (TS%) of 54.1 was significantly below league average.

Let’s call a spade a spade: He’s not a top-tier player. Green’s fans will point to his scorching March as evidence of his value. Green certainly looked fantastic during that stretch, but the Rockets aren’t going to reward him with a massive multi-year deal based on one month with a weak schedule.

That’s not to say Green doesn’t have the potential to prove himself worthy of a max. The 2024-25 season is a big season for this young man. Overall, the future of the Rockets is unclear. Each of these guys could be a key player, or, the future could see them both in different uniforms.

If this seems unfair, consider it a part of life.