Amen Thompson's All-Star leap is tied to Rockets' true title chances

The Houston Rockets know how important Amen Thompson is. The outside world does too. Trill Bro Dude of the You Know Ball podcast thinks he's the key to unlocking their potential.

"I wonder how much...does the usage need to go up...the long-term upside of the Houston Rockets is tied to how good Amen Thompson gets on offense"

-Trill Bro Dude on The Athletic NBA Daily Podcast

It's a discussion we've had before. Thompson is already an absurdly impactful player. He's one of the best defenders in the NBA. Thompson can score off-ball by cutting due to his outrageous athleticism. Yet, the question persists:

How much offense can he generate in the halfcourt?

Rockets need a scoring leap from Thompson

You know the drill.

Thompson can't shoot. It's a problem in the halfcourt. Defenders pack the paint when he has the ball. That limits his driving options, and it leads to too many turnovers. We all know the problem:

What's the solution?

Continued improvement from three-point range would be helpful. Thompson shot 13.8% on 1.5 attempts per game in 2023-24 as a rookie. He hit 27.5% of the same number of attempts as a sophomore. That's a massive leap.

Still, it's a leap from "unspeakably awful" to "bad". Thompson is still far from a shooter that defenders care to close out. They're much more concerned with limiting his ability to get to the paint.

If anything, shooting improvement from Alperen Sengun feels like a more reasonable solution. He hit a paltry 23.3% of his 1.4 attempts per game last year, but as a sophomore, he did drill 33.3% of his 0.9 attempts per. Sengun has shown more potential as a shooter than Thompson.

If he were a floor spacer, the Rockets could build an offense where Thompson penetrating in four-out lineups was a staple. That would mitigate his poor shooting:

It could revolutionize their title odds.

Rockets have an opportunity for Thompson

Look at this roster.

Kevin Durant is the unequivocal first option. That's not even a matter of debate. He will lead the Rockets in scoring next year. Sengun will be next in the hierarchy. Expect him to lead the team in assists while landing second in points per game.

Who's next?

Sure, Fred VanVleet is a passable third option. He's not necessarily an inspiring one. It's also possible that Jabari Smith Jr. or Tari Eason will make an unexpected leap.

Still, it feels like Thompson is the natural choice. He and Sengun are the only young Rockets who are firmly entrenched as cornerstones. Thompson already does a lot to ensure he's valuable on the floor, but some kind of growth as a half-court scorer is necessary in 2025-26:

Who knows how far that could take the team?