As the dawn of the new NBA season approaches, the Houston Rockets are faced with a pivotal decision – whether to sign two of their young stars, Jalen Green and Alperen Shenu, to new contract extensions. The two 2021 draft picks have shown tremendous potential over the past two seasons, but their performances have also had some worrisome inconsistencies. The Rockets will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether to contract them this year or wait until next year to make a decision.
Green's performance
Jalen Green is undoubtedly one of the Rockets' brightest young stars. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, which looks like a good statistic. But his shooting percentage is only 42.3 percent, and his three-point shooting is even lower to 33.2 percent, which is impossible to ignore. In the final month of March, Green showed impressive improvement, averaging 27.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from three-point range.
The erratic nature of this performance raises doubts about whether Green really qualifies for a max-salary contract. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, a five-year, $160 million contract might make more sense. Despite his excellent individual scoring ability, Green is still lacking in his ability to lead the team to success like other stars.
Shengu's outstanding performance
Alperen Shenu has been much better this season. The Turkish center is averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and five assists per game. His percentage has also soared to 27% from 21.4% last season, making him the star of the Rockets. Shenu is excellent on the offensive end and has a good performance on the defensive end, and he has even been compared to former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
One of Shengu's regrets is that his season was reimbursed earlier due to an ankle injury. But judging by his stats and performances, Shengu is fully qualified for a max salary contract. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, all rookie contract extensions can be signed for a five-year term. For the Rockets, locking Shengu into the next 5 years is undoubtedly a very tempting choice.
The team's considerations
For the Rockets, whether or not to make a deal with Green and Shen Guyo needs to weigh the pros and cons. From a financial standpoint, if they contract the two this year, the Rockets' salary space in 2025 will suffer. If they wait until 2025 to make a deal, the Rockets will have more financial flexibility.
There's also an important consideration, and that's how Green and Shengu will perform next season. If they can maintain their excellent and consistent form, then the likelihood of a contract with a maximum salary increases. Conversely, if their performance is disappointing, the Rockets can also reduce their salary package accordingly.
The Houston Rockets face a dilemma over whether or not to renew the contracts of Jalen Green and Alperen Shengu. From a financial point of view, it may be wiser to postpone it to 2025. But from a player development perspective, there are also positive implications for renewing their contracts early. Whatever decision the Rockets make, they need to weigh the pros and cons and focus on the long-term development of the team. Green and Shengu will be two important players in the Rockets' rebuild, and their future is directly related to the future of the team.