Alperen Sengun Extension Aging Well for Rockets

The Houston Rockets should be happy they signed Alperen Sengun to a contract extension.
Nov 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) dunks the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Nov 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) dunks the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Houston Rockets are feeling giddy after signing Alperen Sengun to a five-year contract extension over the offseason.

While the contract doesn't go into effect until next season, Sengun is making the Rockets look really smart for signing him to a long-term deal.

Bleacher Report writer Greg Swartz praised the Rockets for the Sengun extension.

"Şengün was, arguably, worth a max contract after putting up 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists a game last year, especially after Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic got one with worse raw averages," Swartz writes. "Instead, the 22-year-old and the Rockets settled on $185 million over five years, which if all goes right, will only be $146 million over four. His $39 million player option in 2029-30 only projects to be about 17 percent of the salary cap, a number he'll almost certainly opt out of in hopes of a new max deal. This season, Şengün is one of only five players to average at least 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, Domantas Sabonis and Jalen Johnson. His contract will age extremely well."

So far this season, Sengun is averaging 18.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, which is admittedly slightly less than what he was doing last season, but he is also better on the defensive end of the floor, which makes him a more complete player.

Sengun and the Rockets are back in action on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.


Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager who has been with On SI since 2021. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20.