Houston Rockets are wise to avoid max extensions this summer

Life is notoriously unfair.

We don't always get what we deserve. At times, we have to be patient. Houston Rockets fans should keep this in mind.

Their favorite player may not get what they (think) they deserve this summer.

Houston Rockets are being patient

The Rockets likely won't offer max extensions to either Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun this summer.

Inevitably, this will aggravate some fans. Those who love Sengun will be especially irritated. In fairness, he's coming off of a season where he averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. With a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 4.9, Sengun looked like a long-term cornerstone.

Why won't the Rockets offer him a max deal?

Houston Rockets are preserving flexibility

It's got nothing to do with Sengun's game, and everything to do with the cap sheet.

Sengun's cap hold going into 2024-25 is roughly $16 million. If the Rockets gave him a max extension, it would be significantly higher. This is simply a case of financial prudence on the Rockets' end.

When it comes to Green, it likely has more to do with merit.

Houston Rockets guard needs to prove himself

Green averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last year. He had a BPM of -0.5, and his True Shooting % (TS%) of 54.1 was significantly below league average.

Let's call a spade a spade - that isn't a max player. Green's supporters will point to a torrid March as evidence of his value. Green certainly looked fantastic during that stretch, but the Rockets won't reward him with a huge, multiyear deal based on one month with a weak schedule.

That's not to say that Green doesn't have the potential to prove himself worthy of a max. The 2024-25 season is a big one for this young man. Generally speaking, the Rockets' future is unclear. Each of these guys could be cornerstone players, or, the future could see them both in different uniforms.

If that sounds unfair to you, consider it part of life.