The Houston Rockets locked down one of their young cornerstones on Thursday, agreeing to a five-year, $208 million extension with guard Amen Thompson. The deal includes a 10% trade kicker if the budding star is traded to another team while under contract in Houston. The Rockets have one of the youngest and most talent-rich cores in the NBA, featuring Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant.
But Thompson's diverse skill set and elite two-way talent make him the Rockets' most valuable asset. They've now made sure things stay that way, keeping him under contract through the 2031-32 season. More news: Kawhi Leonard Trade Gets Major Update After NBA Investigation Houston selected Thompson No. 4 overall in 2023, and at just 23 years old, he's already developed into one of the league's premier wings.
Last season with the Rockets, he averaged a career-high 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 53.4% from the field and leading the league in minutes at 37.4 per game. He also became the fifth-ever Rockets player to make an NBA All-Defensive Team, earning first-team honors after posting a defensive rating of 110.4. He was arguably the most impactful player on the team all season, and that came despite not developing much of a 3-point shot, which is rare in today's game.
But at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Thompson is a do-it-all wing and exactly the type of talent franchises crave. The Rockets clearly saw it the same way. At $41.6 million per year, Thompson's new deal makes him one of the highest-paid guards in the league, putting him right in the range of players such as Austin Reaves ($46.2 million), Tyrese Maxey ($40.7 million) and LaMelo Ball ($40.7 million).
More news: Mason Rudolph Gets Brutally Honest About Myles Garrett Trade More news: Ravens GM Drops Telling Comment on Lamar Jackson’s Future in Baltimore The Rockets were pegged as title favorites last season after acquiring Durant. Despite a flurry of trade rumors all offseason, Durant is still in Houston, and the Rockets now have one of the deepest cores in basketball. If Thompson takes another step forward next season, it could help this team finally break through and live up to the championship hype that surrounded them a year ago.
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