Amen Thompson just gave Rockets fans a thrilling new glimpse of the future

Fred VanVleet's injury is still a tragic circumstance for the Houston Rockets to have to deal with this season. And yet, Amen Thompson just showed fans in preseason why he may be able to fill the gaps even better than expected.

We knew from the moment we heard of VanVleet's unfortunate ACL injury that this team was going to need someone to step up in the departments of ball handling, spacing, secondary creation, and two-way impact. Thompson was among the leading candidates to see a bigger role to begin with, but not everyone was certain he'd be able to thrive immediately. 

Amen just got done showing us plenty of signs throughout the preseason that he may just be more than ready to take on this new level of responsibility. His performances over the course of Houston's preseason slate seemed to only get better the more he played. Against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, Thompson put up 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. What might have impressed fans the most was his accuracy from deep, as Amen made 66% of his three-point shots in preseason, albeit on limited attempts. 

Amen Thompson impressed Rockets fans in preseason

If he is truly taking a step up this season, this would be a positively massive development for the Rockets. Should Thompson sustain this kind of confidence and rhythm into the regular season, Houston may not feel the loss of VanVleet as sharply as many feared.

Amen's combination of size, athleticism, and activity on defense has always made him a unique prospect, but it's the improved shooting numbers and decision-making that's standing out now. The Rockets have needed a connective playmaker who can push the pace and still maintain control of the game, and Thompson looks increasingly comfortable in that role.

The overall poise Amen is playing with suggests the game is slowing down for him. That is exactly what you want to see from a young guard entering his third year. Of course, the regular season will test how sustainable this version of him truly is, but the early signs point toward a player on the rise from an overall standpoint. We already saw Thompson make All-Defense last year, and now he continues to improve.

If his development continues at this pace, the narrative around this team could shift pretty dramatically. Instead of a squad facing a bunch of question marks, the Rockets might end up discovering that VanVleet’s absence opened the door for Amen Thompson’s breakout.