Rockets Face One Big Dilemma

The Houston Rockets must make a massive decision in the near future.
Dec 23, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and guard Jalen Green (4) come out the locker room to play against the New Orleans Pelicans before the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and guard Jalen Green (4) come out the locker room to play against the New Orleans Pelicans before the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
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The Houston Rockets will see Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green enter the final year of their rookie contracts in 2024-25, and that will force the organization to make a big decision in regards to their future as a franchise.

"Sengün was the better Rocket last season, finishing third in Most Improved Player voting with averages of 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists," Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes writes. "He showed real offensive-hub abilities and improved enough as a defender to profile as a cornerstone in the Domantas Sabonis mold. Green, though, erupted down the stretch as Houston reeled off a 13-2 mark in March, a good chunk of which an injured Sengün watched from the sidelines. Do these two fit together in the best future version of the Rockets? Should Houston prioritize one over the other? Are Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. actually the better long-term investments? Houston's glut of young talent is a good problem, but it's already time to start making some tough decisions."

The Rockets started their rebuild with Green and Sengun in the 2021 NBA Draft, and there's reason for the team to bring back each of them. However, the choices they make will have a lasting effect on the foreseeable future of the team.

The upcoming season will give the Rockets one last chance to evaluate the pair to determine who will get a massive payday from the front office.

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Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. 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. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.