Houston Rockets hand Amen Thompson $208m extension

HOUSTON: The Houston Rockets have agreed a five-year, rookie-scale contract extension with guard Amen Thompson worth $208 million on Thursday, securing one of the key pieces of their young core.

The deal includes a 10% trade kicker, according to international media reports. Thompson’s new contract will begin in the summer of 2027 after the 23-year-old completes the final season of his current four-year rookie deal.

Rafael Stone praised Thompson’s all-around ability, work ethic and steady improvement.

“Amen represents everything we want our organization to be about,” general manager said in a news release.

“He has elite two-way ability, a toughness and the will to outwork his peers, and he competes in every circumstance. Year over year, he's improved in every facet of his game, and we know his best basketball is ahead of him.”

Thompson will earn $12.26 million during the upcoming season, according to Spotrac, before his lucrative extension comes into effect.

The agreement also means Houston have now secured long-term deals for several members of their promising young nucleus.

Thompson joins Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason among the Rockets’ players tied down to multi-year contracts.

Thompson enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, leading the NBA in minutes played with 2,953 while recording career-best averages of 18.3 points, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Since being selected fourth overall by Houston in the 2023 NBA Draft, Thompson has appeared in 210 games, making 144 starts.

He has averaged 14.3 points and 7.6 rebounds during his career, with the Rockets now banking on him continuing his development as a cornerstone of the franchise.