The Houston Rockets have made their long-term bet on Amen Thompson official, reportedly handing the 23-year-old a five-year, $208 million extension. Kevin Durant noticed, and he didn’t waste time letting the moment breathe on social media.
“Don’t wanna hear a word; everything on twin all year,” Durant wrote on his Instagram story.
Thompson’s new deal locks in the final major piece of Houston’s young core, and the numbers tell the story of why the front office moved now. He finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 53.4% from the field. His previous contract is still running into the 2026-27 season, where he’ll make $12.3 million before jumping to $35.8 million in 2027-28.
That 2027-28 figure puts Thompson on the same salary as former Rockets teammate Jalen Green, even though Thompson was drafted two years later. Green also chimed in after the news surfaced, responding on social media with a heart emoji.
Durant’s reaction fits the relationship he’s built with Thompson since arriving in Houston last summer in the blockbuster trade that sent Green to the Suns. Durant took a pay cut last summer so the Rockets could reward their young core with extensions, and Thompson’s deal clearly landed as a big moment in that dynamic.
The two have already developed a strong mutual respect. Right after Durant got to Houston, Thompson earned his admiration by treating Durant’s scoring gravity as a chance to sharpen his own defense. That connection has only grown over time, and now the veteran is in position to help push Thompson’s game further.
The biggest next step is obvious. Thompson’s jump shot remains the pressure point, and former NBA player Joe Johnson made that clear on the Night Cap podcast with Shannon Sharpe.
“All he should be doing is putting up jump shots, you know, this summer. I mean, because look, that tells me one thing.
The Houston Rockets really believe that he is like that. You know, invest that type of money into you.
Come on, bro. You got to develop this jumper.
They’re going to need that,” Joe Johnson said.
Last season, Thompson shot just 21.6% from three-point range, and most of his offense came from dunks and finishes around the rim. Houston also brought in a new shooting coach in July, a move that could give him the kind of focused work needed to clean up that part of his game.
Durant, meanwhile, had to deal with plenty of double-teams in key moments during his first season with the Rockets because defenses could afford to shade away from Thompson as a kickout threat in the paint and pressure the 37-year-old. If Durant and Thompson can build a better system for handling those situations, Houston’s offense could open up in a big way.
For now, the spotlight is on Thompson’s extension and the role Durant can play in helping him take the next step. The veteran has already shown he’s invested in the kid’s rise, and this season should tell the rest of the story.
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Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson sit at the center of it all, which is why the stakes feel so high. Both are expected to be central pieces if the Rockets are going to make a real leap, and Thompsons extension only raises the urgency around what this group can become. If Houston is still stuck at the same level when the time comes, the franchise may have to confront a much bigger conversation about the direction of the entire core. [Read more 🡒]