The Houston Rockets have a good mix of young talent and veteran experience. Ime Udoka and the Rockets’ general manager were working on a trade that would have caused huge waves in the NBA. They were in talks to bring Kevin Durant to Houston. The deal would have given the Houston Rockets a huge boost in their charge toward a Playoff spot which they just missed last season. However, it would come at a cost with Alperen Sengun switching cities with KD and also a few picks going the Suns’ way. But, the rumor never materialized into a trade.

With Alperen Sengun’s trade rumors coming to an end, there is one more thing that every Bulls fan is intrigued to know. How are the contract extension talks going? Sengun has finished 3 seasons of his rookie deal and could enter restricted free agency next summer if not renewed. Alperen Sengun was asked the same question by the press on media day to which he responded “We have been talking”.

This indicated that he and the Bulls are trying to figure out a way to extend. He also added “I want to get the contract, and they are trying to negotiate with us and we are trying to negotiate with them. So, it has been good. We are going to make it work. We still have time and hopefully, we can make it work.” Which indicates the likelihood that the franchise and the player are on the same page. The player is also keen on extending his contract with the team. We could say that Sengun has earned his extension with the performances he put up last season.

The Bulls are also keeping in mind the salary cap. However, the Rockets are reportedly $82.2 million under the salary cap for the 2024-25 season. This is without factoring in Sengun’s salary. He can earn around $224 million in five seasons in case of a deal. His salary for the 2024-25 season can be $38.7 million with the new contract. As of now, Sengun earns $5.4 million which will increase to $16.3 million next offseason if there is no extension. The deadline is 21st October and both the Rockets and Sengun are motivated to work a deal.

Alperen Sengun has the caliber to become a future All-Star. His 2023-24 has been great. The center averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Sengun also became the third most-improved player in the league. However, there is still room for improvement. Sengun’s injuries could’ve also affected his play. In fact, Sengun has been plagued with injuries with the recent one causing him to miss the last 18 games of the season. Was this the reason the trade rumors started?

How could have the KD Trade happened?

The Rockets have a lot of draft picks at their disposal, and earlier this offseason, they likely targeted a major player. Speculation arose that Alperen Sengun could be part of a trade to bring Kevin Durant to Houston. It gained traction when the Nets traded their 2026 first-round pick for a 2027 first-round pick from the Suns. Houston could have also traded their 2025 first-round pick to Phoenix. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, this draft pick exchange could have paved the way for Durant’s move to Houston.

Woj tweeted, “The implications of the Rockets landing the Suns’ picks? Houston wants to trade for Kevin Durant, and that becomes far easier if they can return the Suns’ picks from the Durant deal to the Nets. Suns say they’re keeping Durant for now, but that could change.”

According to reports, the Bulls knew that picks were not enough to attract someone of Durant’s caliber away from Phoenix. So, they tried to use Sengun who had just 1 year left on his contract. This move could have boosted Houston’s contention not only for a Playoff spot but even could have made them Championship contenders. They already have a good core of young players including Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr, along with an experienced VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Including KD could have taken the squad to the next level.

However, the Suns said they were not willing to trade KD. The deal then faded away and now it has become even clearer with Sengun in talks for an extension which could see him in Houston for a few more years. Sengun does have a bright future ahead of him and could do even better this season if he stays healthy throughout.