Prominent NBA insiders don't seem to understand Rockets' cap situation

We all know what the biggest question(s) the Houston Rockets have to answer are this year. They bear two names: Alperen Sengun, and Jalen Green.

Everyone wants to know when (if?) they'll get their extensions. The consensus holds that Sengun has distinctly earned a rookie scale max. Green is a different story.

Yet, they both seem like they'll head into the season without a long-term deal secured. For Green, it's a matter of merit. For Sengun, it's a practical matter. The Rockets want to preserve his modest cap hold to maintain flexibility next summer. They're one of the few teams in the league who can create meaningful cap space.

Inexplicably, Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks seem to have overlooked that factor.

Prominent NBA insiders overlook the facts

They recently discussed the situation on The Lowe Post.

"If I'm Sengun's agent...I would go to Houston and say "Prove to me Cade, Mobley, Barnes, Wagner...Alperen Sengun has outperformed all of these dudes"

-Zach Lowe, The Lowe Post

That's a fair point. From there, Lowe and Marks discuss Green's inconsistency and advocate for extending Sengun and holding out on Green.

If the NBA was a strict meritocracy, that would be a valid argument. Unfortunately, Lowe and Marks don't address the real reason why the Rockets have hesitated to sign Sengun.

Should the Rockets go ahead and extend him?

Rockets are doing the right thing

There's a case to be made.

The front office risks alienating Sengun. There's a human element at play. Sengun would surely like to secure his future - who wouldn't?

For our (figurative) money, that's not enough to outweigh the cap considerations. The Rockets can create a lot of cap space next summer. They could pursue a max-level free agent to pair with Sengun, or, they could trade for a superstar into that space.

That may not ultimately be their preferred path. If the Rockets succeed enough in 2024-25, they may prefer to hang onto both Sengun and Green and keep this core together for another season.

Sure, the Rockets will almost certainly need to make a consolidation trade - eventually. That's fine. They can afford to extend Sengun and Green next summer and head into 2024-25 with their current core.

Next year, we'll go through the same cycle with Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. Granted, Eason won't be in consideration for a max unless he has a remarkable 2024-25 season. Still, the Rockets will be lighter on cap room. Eventually, difficult decisions will be made.

For now, the decision is simple. Hold out on Sengun's deal until you know what you're doing with your cap space next summer. He won't like it - nobody likes waiting on generational income - but there's hope that he'll understand the ramifications at play.

Even if Lowe and Mark don't seem to.