The Rockets and center Alperen Shengyun have agreed to a five-year, $185 million rookie extension. ESPN reported on Monday.
The move comes before the rookie extension deadline at 6 p.m. ET and includes a final-year player option.
The two sides have been negotiating the structure and value of the new agreement since the beginning of the summer, and finally reached an agreement on Monday. The Athletic reported.
With this new contract, Schengyun becomes the first player since Luka Doncic and Trae Young to sign a five-year rookie contract extension that includes a player option.
Shengun just finished the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, making a strong case for All-Star selection and leading Houston in both scoring and rebounding.
He was one of only six NBA players to average his stat line, along with Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and Doncic.
“What we've seen with Arpi is that he's definitely gotten better as he's gotten older and gotten more experience and skill. It’s ability.” Rockets general manager Rafael Stone told The Athletic in March. “[That] That was evident from the Turkish league video and the first practice we had him with. That's just real strength and he's moving move after move and it's very natural for him. ”
Shengun also finished third in Most Improved Player voting as the season ended early after he missed the Rockets' final 18 games due to an ankle injury.
Several Rockets coaches worked with Şengun during the summer in Turkey to prepare him for the 2024-25 season.
Shengun was originally drafted 16th overall in the 2021 draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder and then traded to the Rockets for two future first-round draft picks.
Before jumping into the NBA, Şengun played three seasons in the Turkish Basketball Super League from 2018 to 2021.
