Amen Thompson has already done enough on the floor to look like a cornerstone for the Houston Rockets. The question now is whether that status translates into a max contract extension - and, according to reporting from Jonathan Shankar of the Houston Chronicle, the answer is no.
Shankar reported that the Rockets are expected to put a substantial offer on the table for Thompson, but it will land well short of the five-year rookie max that could climb to nearly $251 million. He wrote: “Do not expect Amen Thompson to get a max contract extension.
Such a contract would pay him a quarter of the salary cap over the next few seasons, but the impressive guard/forward still faces enough questions about his shot and eventual offensive profile. That, combined with the Rocket’ precedent of getting relatively team-friendly extensions (see Şengün, Alperen, above) should keep him in the ballpark of 20-23% of the salary cap.”
That range would put Thompson somewhere in the neighborhood of five years and $180 million to $231 million, depending on the cap and how any deal is structured. It’s still a massive payday, but it would also leave Houston with a little more breathing room than a full 25% max would allow.
There’s no mystery about why Thompson is in line for a major deal. He turned in a big season, averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals across 79 games while shooting 53.4% from the field. With Fred VanVleet out for the entire season, Thompson’s offensive workload grew, and he kept showing why he belongs among the league’s best young players.
What makes him so valuable is the full package on the other end. Thompson entered the league with elite defensive tools, and that has only become more obvious.
His size, athleticism, and ability to switch across multiple positions make him the kind of defender contenders crave. He can check guards, wings, and even some forwards, and his rebounding and speed help turn defense into instant transition chances.
That all helps explain why Houston reportedly views him as untouchable. Earlier this offseason, the Rockets were said to be willing to listen on trade offers for big names like Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, but they drew a hard line with Thompson.
Still, one issue hangs over the entire discussion: the shot. Thompson made only 21.6% of his three-pointers last season, and defenses are comfortable giving him space in the half-court. That becomes a much bigger problem in the playoffs, where teams are quick to crowd non-shooters and squeeze the floor.
If Thompson ever gets to even an average level from deep - something in the 32-33% range - the ceiling changes dramatically. Add in the defense, rebounding, playmaking, and transition pressure, and suddenly you’re talking about a player with real star potential, maybe even superstar potential.
That’s the decision Houston is weighing. The Rockets have already shown they’re willing to reward young talent without always going all the way to the maximum.
Sengun’s previous extension came in below the top number, preserving flexibility while keeping one of the franchise’s foundational pieces in place. A similar approach could be coming for Thompson.
From Thompson’s side, though, there’s not much reason to jump at anything below the max right now. Another breakout season would only strengthen his case. If no extension gets done this summer, he could head toward free agency in 2027, though the Rockets would still have the right to match outside offers.
That leaves both sides with something to think about. Houston doesn’t want its young star drifting into a contract year, and Thompson has to balance the security of guaranteed money now against the chance to cash in even bigger later.
For now, the message is clear: the Rockets want to keep him. The real debate is how much they’re willing to pay before his offense catches up to everything else he already does at a high level.
In Other News...
Rockets Face A Tough Question About Life Without Dillon Brooks
Houstons defense has been a lot easier to talk about than to pin down since Dillon Brooks became part of the conversation, because the Rockets have looked good enough on that end to make the numbers feel almost too tidy. Their defensive rating was slightly better in 2024-25, but the broader question is not whether the team can survive without him so much as how much of his value shows up in places the stat sheet does not capture.
Brooks has mattered as a wing defender who takes the toughest assignments and lets others slide into cleaner matchups, and the ripple effect has been part of the story for Amen Thompson and the rest of the rotation. Even with Brooks recent performance changes and his new extension in place, Houston may be confronting a version of him it no longer gets every night, which leaves the Rockets weighing how much of that edge they can replace if his old style of play is gone for good. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Smart Faces One Big Test In Houstons New-Look Defense
The Rockets makeover around Kevin Durant did not stop with the big swing for a star scorer. After dealing away Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green in the 2025 offseason, Houston also turned to Marcus Smart to help stabilize a defense that had lost some edge and depth. Ime Udoka has emphasized Smarts defensive versatility and toughness, traits that fit the profile of a former Defensive Player of the Year and a player whose value has long been measured beyond the box score.
Now Smarts role comes with a clear challenge as Houston heads into the 2026-27 season. The Rockets need him not just as another name on the roster, but as a piece who can help cover what changed when the group around Durant was reshaped, especially the flexibility and physicality the team had before the turnover. How much of that Smart can restore will be one of the more interesting subplots as Houston tries to make its new-look defense work. [Read more 🡒]