After a 2023-24 season that drew All-Star consideration and ended with a third-place finish in the NBA’s Most Improved Player race, Alperen Sengun is a rising star with the Houston Rockets.
Yet, while he’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason, Sengun has yet to receive one. There are compelling financial reasons for Houston to consider waiting until 2025 to finalize Sengun’s second contract, but that hasn’t stopped some observers from wondering if the Turkish big man might be available by trade.
Per Marc Berman of the New York Post, any list of potential suitors likely includes the Knicks. The problem, of course, is that Houston has zero motivation to trade its emerging 21-year-old star.
Even so, given the enormous reach of New York media outlets, speculation has swirled among fans in recent days. Fortunately, on Sunday, Rockets general manager went on the NBA’s Sirius XM radio channel and directly refuted any notion of trading Sengun.
“Alpi’s gonna be with us next year,” Stone told the hosts when asked about the recent wave of reporting. “We get calls on all our young guys. We have no interest in moving him.”
Stone’s latest Sengun commentary was first relayed by Bryce Gelman, a producer for Sirius XM NBA Radio.
Sengun averaged a team-high 21.1 points (53.7% FG), 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.5 minutes per game last season.
Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone on Alperen Sengun: “Alpie’s gonna be with us next year. We get calls on all our young guys…We have no interest in moving him” (SiriusXM) pic.twitter.com/7y2wndTpUP
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 14, 2024
