Rockets' Jalen Green Ranks Atop 2025 Shooting Guard Free Agent Class

Is this giving him too much praise?

Mar 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) drives with the ball as Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Unless you've been living under a rock of late, you likely know about the contract negotiations beetween the Houston Rockets and Jalen Green.

Or the lack thereof.

The Rockets opted against doling out an extension to Green, deciding to instead have him play out the 2024-25 season and enter restricted free agency, where they'd be able to match any offer sheet than Green would sign/ agree to.

And it shouldn't be that much of a surprise, as Green has been vastly unpredictable and.or inconsistent through his Rocket tenure. It's clear that he's one of the league's young, rising bucket-getters but he's had a difficult time putting that together from game-to-game consistently.

In spite of that, Green could be the best shooting guard in the 2025 free agent class. At least according to well-respected NBA analyst Tommy Beer, who ranked Green first on the list.

"Green got off to a sluggish start last season but caught fire after the All-Star break and reminded folks of his incredibly enticing upside. Over a 20-game stretch spanning from late February through early March, Green averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.7 made three-pointers while shooting 47% from the floor, 38% from downtown and 82% from the free-throw stripe.

The other three players drafted in the top-4 of the 2021 draft (Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes) have already inked rookie max extensions this summer. Green will look for a similar payday from Houston, but will the Rockets be willing to pony up that kind of cash for a player who, although just 22 and blessed with incredible physical gifts, has had plenty of up-and-downs over his first three seasons in the league?"

This season, Green has the perfect opportunity to cement himself as the premier scoring guard in next year's free agent class, so long as he starts the season out strong and maintains that consistency throughout the season, which he's had a difficult time doing through his first three seasons in the league.

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