Is Alperen Sengun out for remainder of 2024 NBA season? NBA insider reveals latest status of injured Rockets center

Alperen Sengun injured his ankle on Sunday in the fourth quarter of the Houston Rockets' 112-104 win over the Sacramento Kings while trying to block Domantas Sabonis’ layup. He's reportedly on the verge of missing the rest of the regular season.

Shams Charania from The Athletic reported that the Rockets’ young star has suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain and is likely to end Sengun’s season.

A Grade 3 ankle sprain either is a full tear or partial rupture of the ligament and is the highest grade of ankle sprain. According to Harvard Medical School, a Grade 3 ankle sprain takes three to six months of recovery time.

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The Rockets (29-35) are 11th in the Western Conference entering Tuesday's games. Whatever success they had, Sengun was perhaps the biggest factor in it. The playoffs start on April 20, which means that even if the Rockets magically make the postseason, they will play without Alperen Sengun.

Before Sengun went down, he was averaging 21.1 ppg on 53.7% shooting along with 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 63 games. Moreover, he was one of the leading candidates for the Most Improved Player. Given the 65-game requirement to be eligible for awards, he is likely out of the running.

Does Alperen Sengun injury negatively impact his potential max contract?

Alperen Sengun is only in the third NBA season and was having a breakout season before he went down with the ankle injury. Given his impact on the Rockets this season and his high potential, a max contract with the Rockets for Sengun was likely.

Sengun's injury is not a big issue, given that he did not injure his knee and did not suffer a major injury that could linger. He should return fully recovered next season, so there is no reason to believe that this injury will impact his contract extension.

Sengun signed a four-year/$15,550,974 contract with the Rockets in August 2021 and is eligible for the max contract extension this offseason. According to Shams Charania, Sengun is eligible for a five-year, $225 million contract extension.

“Alperen Sengun has put himself in that category, of being a max contract player,” Charania told Stadium.

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Sengun is already under contract with the Rockets through the 2024-25 season and will become a restricted free agent in the 2025-26 season. Given how impactful he has been, it would make sense if Houston offered him a max extension. Even if offering him a maximum extension might not be the easiest financially, the Rockets would want to keep a future star.