Amen Thompson’s rise in the NBA will continue with the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets and Thompson have come to terms on a new lucrative contract extension that will make the 23-year-old a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future, according to multiple reports on Thursday, September 3.
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Thompson has agreed to sign a 5-year, $208-million contract extension with the Rockets, ESPN reported. The uber-athletic two-way guard was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He just completed the most productive season of his career, despite being playing out-of-position at point guard at times.
Here are more details on Thompson’s new contract extension, as well as what it could mean for the Rockets this season and into the future:
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver poses with 2026 draft prospects before the NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver poses with 2026 draft prospects before the NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after h is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after he is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
AJ Dybantsa is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Cameron Boozer awaits the start of Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Caleb Wilson poses with family prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Chris Cenac Jr. poses for a photo with Kelvin Sampson prior to Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Mikel Brown Jr. awaits the start of Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
An interior view of Barclays Center prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Caleb Bowlin, Getty Images)
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Amen Thompson contract details
Thompson agreed to a 5-year, $208-million contract extension with the Rockets and it includes a 10% trade kicker, according to ESPN.
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The deal carries an average annual value of $41.6 million, which is below what Thompson would have received had he signed a max contract extension. The new deal won’t begin until the 2027-28 season. Thompson is set to earn about $12.2 million for the 2026-27 season as part of his rookie contract.
What Amen Thompson’s contract extension means for Rockets
This contract locks Thompson in as one of the Rockets’ foundational players moving forward along with Alperin Sengun, who the team signed to a long-term extension in October 2024. Thompson is already one of the league’s best perimeter defenders and his athleticism can change the momentum of games on both ends of the floor.
That Houston got Thompson to agree to a deal below the maximum salary level is notable for future salary cap flexibility. It could become a relative bargain if Thompson’s upward trajectory continues and he develops more as a shooter and ballhandler.
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Amen Thompson stats
Thompson is coming off the best statistical season of his NBA career. He averaged a career-high 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals while appearing in a career-high 78 games for the Rockets during the 2025-26 season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amen Thompson gets huge contract extension: What it means for Rockets
