Russell Westbrook already laid blueprint for obvious Amen Thompson adjustment

Building around a non-shooting perimeter player like Amen Thompson can be difficult in today’s NBA, but fortunately the Rockets already have the perfect recipe and pieces to do it. They can follow a formula that worked with Russell Westbrook during the 2020 season to surround him with 4 shooters and, thanks to the team’s frontcourt versatility, the Rockets don’t even need to sacrifice size this time around.

Better lineups can unlock Amen Thompson

Last season, Thompson took on more offensive responsibilities and showcased his expanding game by essentially playing point guard. However, he’s at his best when he can focus on driving and scoring rather than getting the whole team involved. Next season, he should have plenty of opportunity to do that with two veteran floor generals on the team (Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart).

The Rockets can maximize Thompson even more by throwing him in some lineups with full spacing around him, just as they once famously did with Russell Westbrook. Back in 2020, Houston had to trade away their proper center and roll out PJ Tucker or Robert Covington in the paint to make it work. But now they have Jabari Smith Jr, a solid 6’11” defender who can also confidently shoot threes.

The best lineup for Thompson might be playing him alongside Smith, Kevin Durant, one of the two aforementioned point guards and another shooter. That final spot could go to Tari Eason for more of a defensive focus or Reed Sheppard for an even bigger shooting emphasis. It shouldn’t be a regular starting lineup since All-Star Alperen Sengun is excluded, but it could be a worthwhile option if the Rockets are fully committed to Thompson.

Amen helps makes these lineups possible

Although Thompson obviously doesn’t have the same offensive burst as Westbrook in his prime, he does offer more size and defensive versatility. That physical advantage will be important in giving the Rockets more optionality without giving up their defensive strengths. Thompson is known as a great perimeter defender, but he can also scale up to guard bigger wings and help out on the glass if needed.

In some ways, a four-out lineup around Thompson could work even better than it did with Westbrook. The Rockets won’t see the same scoring highs from Thompson as they did from Westbrook (an efficient 30 points per game), but they’ll have more versatility across the lineup and better defense. Perhaps best of all, the Rockets can now play that way without trading away all of their size and revamping their roster.

I’m not advocating for the Rockets completely phasing other non-shooters out of their rotation. They should still run plenty of lineups sticking to their bully ball strengths, but occasionally highlighting Thompson as the only non-shooter will also pay dividends. It’ll help develop his confidence as a ball-handler and help the front office decide the team’s future too.

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