Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün knew more than ever that they did not want to go anywhere. Without contract extensions, the cornerstones of the Houston Rockets' rebuild could have given themselves an exit strategy by becoming restricted free agents next summer,

Alperen Şengün mounted an unexpected rise from intriguing post-lottery draft pick to the face of the Houston Rockets rebuild across the last three-plus years. Şengün is now set to remain the Rockets' anchor through the rest of the 2020s.