With the Houston Rockets set to open Wednesday at home against the Dallas Mavericks, Amen Thompson sits right at the center of the conversation. Houston already locked him in with a 5-year, $208 million contract extension early in September, and that deal brings with it the kind of expectation that follows a player into a new chapter: he has to take on more, and he has to help lead.
The preseason finale against the Oklahoma City Thunder offered a quick snapshot of where things stand. Thompson logged 22 minutes and finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
The line was fine. The bigger issue was the part of his game that still leaves Houston wanting more: the shot.
He went 0-for-1 from 3-point range, but the real concern is that the attempt total was so low. For a Rockets team that has struggled in that area, the lack of volume matters just as much as the misses. Even in a 116-89 win over Oklahoma City, Houston’s 17-for-53 showing from deep was a reminder that this is not a detail the Rockets can afford to shrug off.
That’s the tension with Thompson right now. He showed plenty last season, when he averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
He already brings elite defense, having earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2025 after his second season. He can also score inside and do damage in the paint.
But those pieces alone have not been enough for a team trying to get past the league’s best.
Houston needs more from everywhere, and that includes its most important rising piece. Thompson is close to being a more complete offensive threat, and the Rockets need him to get there. Whether that comes from more shooting, another roster move, Fred VanVleet being the missing piece, or even a coaching change if things go sideways, Houston’s path forward is still unsettled.
What is clear is that Thompson has to be part of the answer. The Rockets need another offensive jump from him, and they need the whole group to get sharper from long range if this is going to work the way they want it to.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Is Giving The Rockets A Reason To Believe
Marcus Smart didnt need long to make his case in Houstons second preseason game, turning in a lively all-around effort that fit neatly with what the Rockets want from him. In 24 minutes, he brought scoring, rebounding and playmaking to the table, the kind of veteran presence that can stabilize a young roster and give Fred VanVleet another backcourt partner who can handle the ball or function away from it.
The bigger takeaway for the Rockets is how naturally Smarts versatility can slide into multiple lineup looks if the shot keeps following him. His three-point work was encouraging, and Houston will be watching to see whether cleaner shot selection can make that part of his game even more efficient as the season approaches. If it does, the Rockets may have more than just an experienced defender on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Opening Week Plan Sends An Early Message About Two Veterans
The Rockets are wasting little time making their rotation intentions clear in opening week. Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams will both sit the first back-to-backs to start the season, a move that says plenty about how Houston wants to handle two veterans it expects to lean on over the long haul. In Adams case, the approach fits a familiar pattern, with the team planning to manage his minutes and availability carefully after a lengthy injury history.
There is also an immediate ripple effect in the backcourt when VanVleet is unavailable. Instead of turning to Reed Sheppard, Houston plans to start Marcus Smart at point guard, giving the Rockets a more experienced hand to organize the offense while VanVleet rests. It is an early-season lineup wrinkle, but one that offers a useful glimpse at how the coaching staff sees the guard rotation unfolding when the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Open Against A Mavericks Frontcourt Problem That Could Matter Fast
Opening night brings the Houston Rockets a Dallas frontcourt that is already short-handed, and the matchup is shaped as much by availability as by star power. Kyrie Irving is set to make his return to NBA action for the Mavericks, but Dallas is dealing with several injured players and the big-man rotation is especially thin heading into the game.
Dereck Lively II is out because of right foot surgery, leaving an immediate hole in the middle for a team that could use every body it can get. Houston has its own injury watch to track as well, with Steven Adams and Julian Phillips listed as questionable, so the opening-week frontcourt picture is still fluid on both sides. [Read more 🡒]