There’s a “legitimate chance” that the Rockets and big man Alperen Sengun will agree to terms on a rookie scale contract extension by the October 21 deadline, a source with knowledge of the negotiations tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sengun expressed a desire to get a long-term deal done.
“We’ve been talking,” he said. “I want to get the contract, and (the Rockets are) trying to negotiate with us and we’re trying to negotiate with them. So, it’s been good. We’re going to make it work. We still have time, you know, and hopefully we can make it work.”
Sengun, 22, enjoyed a breakout season in his third year in the NBA in 2023/24, finishing as a Most Improved Player finalist. He averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 32.5 minutes per game across 63 outings (all starts).
While those numbers make Sengun a strong candidate for a lucrative extension this fall, there has been a belief that the Rockets may prefer to wait on a new deal, since doing so would allow them to maximize their cap flexibility. The Sixers took a similar approach last offseason with Tyrese Maxey, putting off a new contract until this summer for cap reasons. After using up their cap room this summer, the 76ers were able to go over the cap to re-sign Maxey using his Bird rights.
If he’s a restricted free agent next summer, Sengun would have a cap hold of approximately $16.3MM, approximately three times his 2024/25 salary of $5.42MM but still well below his potential first-year salary on an extension. He could earn a projected maximum of up to $38.7MM in 2025/26.
Fellow 2021 first-rounder Jalen Green is also eligible for a rookie scale extension up until October 21. He downplayed the urgency to reach a new deal with the Rockets.
“That’s not really the focus right now,” Green said. “Whatever happens, obviously I want to be here. But the main focus is the season. The main goal is (making the) playoffs. That’s where the focus is.”
Besides Sengun and Green, 18 other players are eligible for rookie scale extensions this fall. Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner, Cade Cunningham, and Evan Mobley have already signed them.