Looking at the 2021 NBA Draft class, No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham got his max extension with the Pistons, No. 3 pick Evan Mobley extended with the Cavaliers as No. 4 pick Scottie Barnes did with the Raptors, and No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs extended in Orlando.
No. 2 pick that year, Jalen Green with the Rockets, would love to extend in Houston but said his focus is on the upcoming season, not his contract. He spoke with Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle during the Jalen Green Youth Basketball Camp in Houston.
“For sure,” Green said of his preference to agree to a long-term deal with the Rockets. “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. We’re building that team camaraderie, who we are. That’s the main focus right now, and everything will work itself out.”
Both Green and promising center Alperen Sengun are extension-eligible, and with most teams both already would be locked up with new contracts. Houston, however, is a different story. The team is absolutely stacked with young talent: Green, Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Summer League standout Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason. There are so many good players, but not all of them will get extensions from the Rockets, the team can’t afford it.
Unless Green or Sengun agree to a below-market contract (which they shouldn’t), the sense in league circles is Houston is more likely to let this coming season play out, get a better understanding of how its young players are developing and fitting together, then decide who it wants to extend and who it may wish to trade or move on from. The Houston front office would just like to see another season, have more information, and then make some hard choices.
Meanwhile, the Rockets — who started slow but finished last season strong and were 41-41 on the year, just a game out of the play-in — are looking to take a step forward this season. Green said he is excited about it.
“We went out last season with a bang. 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.”
A lot of eyes are going to be on Houston this season.
