Although Alperen Sengun made a Houston Rockets Game 7 guarantee, it didn't come to fruition. Much of it was because of Draymond Green's constant chatter throughout the series.

As a result, it got to Sengun's head, and he played with a flurry of emotion. Green took advantage of this and got in his head. Despite a quality series from the Turkish big man, he sees the pros and cons of his game after the first-round exit.

“I think I improved my defensive way this season, but I have to work a lot more on my offense,” Sengun said via Lachard Binkley of SI.

“Long summer is waiting for me, so I've got a lot to do.”

Despite quality performances, Green forced Sengun to take uncomfortable shots. He left him frequently in the in-between area. He shut down opportunities at the basket, as well as the three-point line.

Sengun didn't look comfortable taking a foul-line jump shot. He resulted in taking floaters or trying to go into the teeth of the defense. This work in Green's favor, as he waited for the Turkish big man to come into the paint.

Rockets' Alperen Sengun will be ready after Draymond Green's masterclass

Sengun's efforts were not for the faint of heart. After all, Green was third in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting. There's clear evidence as to why he was nominated for the award.

Despite being undersized, his mix of trash talk, basketball IQ, and knowledge of tendencies is a major element. For someone like Sengun, this was his first time in the playoffs.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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Nerves were high. Meanwhile, Green has won four NBA titles and knows what the experience is like.

He had that advantage on Sengun and exploited it at every possible moment.

During the seven-game series, he only shot above 45% from the field twice (Game 1 and 5, respectively). Again, he showed that he's capable of being an elite player this time of year.

However, Sengun will need a more well-rounded game if the Rockets want to make noise.

His defense has improved tremendously, but now it's about becoming an elite offensive player. The 3-point shot looked good, but establishing that in-between can put defenses on their heels.

Either way, he'll put the work in over the summer. The taste of the playoffs is an addictive one, to say the least. To get back to that spot, Sengun will need to be better.

A more well-rounded game can do wonders for this up-and-coming Rockets team.