Chris Paul: 'My Brother' P.J. Tucker Deserves Contract Extension

P.J. Tucker is set to enter free agency in July 2021 at the conclusion of his four-year, $32 million contract, but one former Rocket believes Tucker should be in Houston well into the 2020s. 

"[Tucker] needs a [contract] extension," former Rockets point guard Chris Paul told the media at All-Star Media Day in Chicago on Saturday. "That’s all the man want. The man play every night and can’t get an extension."

Tucker and the Rockets negotiated a potential contract extension before the 2019-20 season, but talks fizzled in May 2019. Houston guaranteed the final year of Tucker's deal on Feb. 9, securing Tucker's $8 million salary for 2020-21. 

Paul and Tucker won 118 games together in two seasons from 2017-19, and the duo came within one game of reaching the Finals before losing to Golden State in May 2018. The Rockets outscored teams by 4.8 points per 100 possessions when Paul and Tucker shared the floor last season, and the figure ballooned to a dominant plus-17.8 points per 100 possessions in 2017-18. 

Paul doled out significant praise for Tucker on Saturday, calling the 34-year-old forward (and small-ball center) the "unsung hero of the NBA."

"I think the person that I probably learned the most from was P.J. Tucker, who was like my brother, man," Paul said. "He’s so selfless, gives himself up night in and night out. [Tucker] is like the unsung hero of the NBA, you know what I mean? He’s not going to be on the stat sheet with all this different type stuff."

Tucker is averaging a career-high 34.9 minutes per game this season, anchoring Houston's interior defense with center Clint Capela now in Atlanta. Tucker and the Rockets will exit the All-Star break fifth in the Western Conference at 34–20.