Jalen Green Says Contract Situation with Houston Rockets 'will work itself out'

As contract dates loom for the 2021 NBA Draft class, Rockets guard Jalen Green is still hoping to sign a long-term deal with Houston.

Apr 12, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots a jump shot during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (34) at Moda Center / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

After three solid seasons with the Houston Rockets, former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green is nearing the deadline for a new contract.

Green and fellow 2021 draft selection Alperen Sengun are both extension-elidgibile, but neither have been offered a new deal yet. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie theorized that neither has received a new contract due to Rafael Stone and the Rockets still working to figure out each player's value.

In a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle at his youth basketball camp in Houston, however, Green said that he isn't focused on contract talks at the moment.

“My main focus is the season ahead of me with the players that we have, go to the playoffs and go as far as we can," Green said. "We’re building that team camaraderie, who we are. That’s the main focus right now, and everything will work itself out."

Green is coming off of a 2023-24 campaign that saw the 6-foot-4 guard average 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from the field and 33.2% from beyond the arc.

The former 5-star recruit finished last season with one of the best stretches of his professional career, averaging 24.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 45.1% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range in Houston's final 25 games of the year.

After going 41-41 last season, Ime Udoka and company narrowly missed making their first postseason appearance since 2019-20, and seemed poised to return to the playoffs in 2024-25.

"We went out last season with a bang," Green said. "We’re all on the same page, know what it takes to win. We know what we can do if we play hard. I think we know what we have to do going into this season from the beginning to the end, so hopefully, that leads us into the playoffs."

If Green is able to be a catalyst in a postseason appearance for the Rockets, he would likely receive a generous contract offer from Stone and company after or during the season.

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