Three of the first four players selected in the 2021 draft have already received rookie scale extensions, but Rockets guard Jalen Green may have to wait until next summer, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report . Despite a strong finish to last season, there are still questions about Green after three years in the NBA. Houston may want to maximize its cap space for 2025, and Pincus suggests the Rockets’ ultimate offer may not be in the neighborhood of what fellow top four picks Cade Cunningham , Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes received.
That philosophy would also affect Alperen Sengun , who was taken with the 16th pick in 2021. Pincus suggests that Sengun could receive a generous offer before the October 21 deadline if the Rockets are planning to pick up Fred VanVleet ‘s $44.9MM option for the 2025/26 season. However, the Turkish center will only have a $16.3MM hold if the team plans to decline its option on VanVleet and try to get back under the salary cap.
Pincus’ comments are part of his analysis of the entire first round from 2021 and the likelihood of an extension for each remaining player. He gives a C- to Cunningham’s new deal, stating that the Pistons assumed unnecessary risk when they could have signed him to a similar contract next summer. The Cavaliers‘ Mobley extension gets a B- from Pincus, while the Raptors‘ Barnes extension rates a B+.
There’s more news from around the basketball world:
- Stephen Curry ‘s extension with the Warriors and Paul George ‘s max contract with the Sixers will push them above $500MM in career earnings, joining LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only players with deals in place to reach that figure, relays Steve Henson of The Los Angeles Times . James Harden will top $400MM under his new two-year, $70MM deal with the Clippers, while Chris Paul will get close to that number after joining the Spurs for one year at $10.46MM.
- Longtime NBA guard Patrick Beverley made his debut for Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv today in Israel, according to Eurohoops . Beverley, 36, was in the starting lineup and contributed three points, six assists and his typical intense defense in a win over Elitzur Ironi Netanya.
- Former NBA players Shabazz Muhammad and Thomas Robinson have signed with Homenetmen Beirut, per Dario Skerletic of Sportando . Muhammad, who joined the Kings’ G League affiliate in January, last played in the NBA during the 2017/18 season. Robinson, a lottery pick in 2012, has been out of the league for seven years.