Rockets' Alperen Sengun needs to strike this balance to help team contend

The Houston Rockets need Alperen Sengun to be a credible second option in 2025-26. To do that, he has to regain his efficiency on two-pointers without compromising in another area.

Casual fans be may be surprised to read that sentence. Sengun needs to develop his three, right? He's an elite scorer around the rim, isn't he?

Yes and no. Sengun is as skilled a post scorer as any big man we've seen since the '90s. His footwork and creativity allow him to leverage his bulk against any opponent.

That's why it was so frustrating when he struggled to put the ball in the basket last season.

Rockets' Alperen Sengun's efficiency dipped last year

Last year, Sengun had a 54.5 True Shooting % (TS%). It was a career low. Sengun has a career 57.0 TS%, and got as high as 59.9% as a sophomore.

Two-point efficiency is largely to blame. Sengun shot 51.9% on twos last year, a significant decline from the 56.7% he hit in 2023-24. The biggest discrepancy came from the mid-range area (39.6% vs 51.3% between 10 and 16 feet). Still, the slight dip around the basket (67.9% vs 69.0% between 0 and 3 feet) may have weighed just as heavily, as Sengun takes significantly more attempts around that area.

It would be marvelous if Sengun developed a three-pointer in 2025-26. It's even more important that he regains his form closer to the hoop. Sengun needs to be efficient in that area to be a championship-caliber second option.

What happened last year, and how does he get there next year?

Rockets' Alperen Sengun is still adjusting to the NBA

Sengun improved dramatically on the defensive end last year. He rose roughly from "poor" to "solid", and that is a tremendous leap.

Some have speculated that Sengun struggled to manage his fatigue levels on both ends. That feels like a plausible explanation, but it's something he'll have to have a handle on in 2025-26.

It will be difficult for the team to maintain its defensive dominance if Sengun regresses on that end. At the same time, they need Kevin Durant to have a reliable second option at his age. The Rockets will be asking a lot of Sengun in 2025-26.

That shouldn't be a problem.

Sengun's desire to be great is well-documented. He wants to be a star on this team and bring a championship to Houston. To accomplish that goal, he'll need to return to form in two-point efficiency while maintaining his defensive improvement.

If he can make that compromise, nobody will be able to stop him.