Rockets GM Says Alperen Sengun Won’t Get Traded

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone told Sirus XM NBA Radio that the team has no interest in trading Alperen Sengun.

The New York Knicks are interested in trading for Sengun, but it appears the big man is staying with the Rockets. 

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

Sengun averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks for the Rockets in 2023-24 while shooting 53.7% from the field, 29.7% from beyond the arc and 69.3% from the free-throw line. He’s eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension this offseason. 

One of the top players in the NBA, Sengun has career averages of 14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks. 

The Rockets were interested in trading for Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler or Paul George this offseason. However, Durant is staying with the Phoenix Suns, Butler is staying with the Miami Heat and George left the Los Angeles Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Houston went 41-41 in 2023-24, missing the playoffs again. The Rockets haven’t made the postseason since 2020 when James Harden and Russell Westbrook were on the team. 

Some stars Houston has its eyes on are Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker and Zion Williamson, per NBA insiders Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. 

However, Mitchell signed an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Booker and Williamson are the franchise players on the Suns and New Orleans Pelicans, respectively. 

“So, who are the Rockets interested in as franchise centerpiece material? League sources say that Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, the Suns’ Devin Booker (also 27) and New Orleans’ Zion Williamson (23) would all fit the bill,” Amick and Slater wrote. “The only problem, of course, is that none of them are expected to be available anytime soon.”