Rockets’ Alperen Sengun Likely in Line for $200 Million-Plus Contract

Houston’s Turkish star will likely command a nine-figure payday. The only question is when.

If there was any doubt prior to the 2023-24 regular season that Alperen Sengun is the sun the Rockets will orbit for the foreseeable future, he dispelled that.

Drafted in 2021 No. 16 overall, Sengun has seen a systemic climb to stardom.

A third season of improvement — this time to averages of 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game — did plenty to portray himself as a franchise cornerstone. Not withstanding the 19-win improvement the team rose to with him (mostly) at the helm.

Now, the 21-year-old Turkish center is in line for a payday, and likely one over $200 million.

The max Sengun will be allowed to earn will be $225 million, and at this point, there’s likely little argument against giving him every cent of that. Especially given that would lock him in for five full seasons.

That contract would also put him in a lucrative bunch. Just three players from the previous 2020 draft earned max deals: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton. And at just 21 with room to grow in a variety of areas, there’s a chance Sengun can reach that tier on-court.

Now, the only question is when he gets the deal. And Rockets’ General Manager Rafael Stone doesn’t seem to be in any hurry regarding that side of operations right now.

“The way the CBA is set up, you can extend, you don’t have to,” Stone said. “And you can always revisit next summer. So in that sense there’s no gun to our head. We’ll have conversations, we’ll see what makes sense for us, what makes sense for them, and then both sides will end up making whatever decisions we make.”

For now, Sengun will continue rehabbing his late-season injury in order to suit up for opening night of the 2024-25 regular season.

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