Amen Thompson could force Rockets to make shocking turnaround

The Rockets have become known for their shrewd navigation around rookie extensions, but Amen Thompson might be the one to change that trend. Thompson is eligible for an extension this offseason and early reports indicate that Houston's front office is incredibly high on him, to the point that they may offer him a huge contract which bucks their recent trends. However, Thompson has the chance to make even a lofty deal worthwhile if he lives up to his immense potential.

Thompson is a worthy candidate for a huge extension

After years of rebuilding, Thompson is arguably the best prospect to come through Houston since the Rockets traded for James Harden. He made the most of a disjointed roster last season to improve his offensive output, and hopefully will find himself in a better situation next season. Nonetheless, he continues to grow as a downhill driver and playmaker, while maintaining his elite defensive ability.

Adding more guards and playmaking around him should help unlock Thompson's potential even more. He obviously needs someone else to handle point guard duties, but Thompson can thrive as a cutter and secondary playmaker. He was able to put up 18 points and 5 assists per game last season, very solid numbers for an overtasked young guard who plays great defense.

If he lives up to his full potential, Thompson could be a solid positive on offense putting up north of 20 points per game while being one of the best defenders in the entire league. He's already made a First Team All-Defense in his young career, and could reach that level again with a better-fitting roster. Thompson's defense also has more impact than some other lockdown perimeter players of the past, since he's such a force as a help defender too - he averaged 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game two seasons ago.

The Rockets must do what it takes to lock up Thompson long-term

We've already seen other teams covet Thompson in trade pacakges for the league's best stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo. But the Rockets have made it clear they have no interest in entertaining offers for Thompson. He's as close to untouchable as any Rocket, which shows the faith his team has in him.

Thompson will still play out his rookie contract next season, but is eligible to extend for up to 5 years this summer. Now that the Rockets have made moves to fill out their roster elsewhere, signing Thompson long-term should be a priority. He's highly regarded in the organization for good reason, and any dispute with him about the terms of extension could have disastrous effects later on.

The Rockets have been masterful in negotiating discounts from their young stars on rookie extensions, but they might finally be in a position to open the purse a bit more with Amen Thompson. Both his clear talent and the team's position as a playoff threat have made this a possibility.

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