Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson has agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale contract extension with the franchise, sources informed ESPN.
The brand new deal features a 10% commerce kicker, sources mentioned, and constitutes the identical share of the Rockets’ wage cap as when the workforce signed Alperen Sengun to a five-year, $185 million rookie extension in 2024. Thompson is now beneath contract by 2032.
Thompson, 23, has been an ascending multi-position participant for Houston ever since turning into its No. 4 decide in 2023. He led the NBA in minutes performed final season whereas averaging profession highs in factors (18.3), assists (5.3) and steals (1.5) and rating eighth in complete steals and fourth in unfastened ball recoveries, in line with ESPN Analysis.
Final season, Thompson was amongst 9 gamers to common no less than 18 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists; because the youngest to affix a listing together with Sengun, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, Paolo Banchero, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.
Thompson performed primarily at level guard final season because of the absence of Fred VanVleet, however has proven the flexibility to swing to both guard place and the frontcourt.
The Rockets, who’ve received 52 video games in every of the final two seasons, have now locked in multiyear extensions for his or her younger core of Thompson, Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. Earlier than final season, Houston reached a two-year, $90 million extension with All-NBA star Kevin Durant, giving him a participant possibility for 2027-28.
Thompson turns into the second participant from the 2023 draft class to comply with a rookie extension, together with the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.
A number of different gamers, together with Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, Utah’s Keyonte George, Oklahoma Metropolis’s Cason Wallace, Milwaukee’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski, are anticipated to be rookie extension candidates within the coming weeks.
