Shocking statistical profile shows Rockets' Amen Thompson experiment is failing

The Houston Rockets have been trying to make Amen Thompson a point guard in 2025-26. It isn't working.

Is that harsh? Sure. Is it fair? The numbers suggest so. Bball Index is a website that assigns players grades in specific areas by attempting to "use every publicly available statistic to describe specific skills that a player has". Their metrics do not shine on Thompson's on-ball performance this year:

In fact, they're utterly bleak.

Rockets' Amen Thompson is struggling on-ball

Avert your eyes if you're squeamish.

That's...wow. That is very bad. It's a lot of Fs.

Interestingly, Index gives Thompson an A- in Midrange Shot Creation. That's almost more concerning. Thompson has no trouble getting to his spots: He simply can't finish once he gets there. Otherwise, his B grade in Floater Talent is OK, and everything else is awful.

Some folks will be skeptical about these grades. They're skeptical of virtually all advanced stats. That's fine. Advanced stats aren't the be-all-end-all, but when they're this consistent across the board, it has to mean something.

Besides, this roughly aligns with the eye test. Thompson is putting up great basic counting stats, but that's largely a function of usage. He's been among the least efficient lead ball-handlers in the NBA. Defenses collapse on Thompson and make his life difficult in the paint, knowing he won't punish them with a midrange or a three.

What's the solution?

Rockets should consider a role change for Thompson

There are two wildly different answers to that question.

Some will argue that Thompson should be afforded leeway. They'd prefer the Rockets let him run point all year. If they're winning games, what does it matter?

Sure - only, the Rockets are losing winnable games. If the season ended today, they'd be the fourth seed despite having the league's second-best Net Rating (10.8).

Perhaps that's a statistical anomaly. It could be that it will normalize over the season, and the Rockets' Net Rating will reflect in the standings. Moreover, it wouldn't be fair to pin all of the Rockets' (relatively minimal) struggles on Thompson.

Still, he's one of their highest usage players, and he's not performing well. We can assume that's a problem. So, we land on the second solution:

Change Thompson's role.

Frankly, that's what I'd do. The Rockets should increase Alperen Sengun and Reed Sheppard's usage and shift Thompson back off the ball. He was lethal in last year's role, and there's always some merit in putting players in positions where they thrive. If Bball Index is any indication, the on-ball experiment is so far from viable that it ought to be abandoned for now:

Put Thompson in a place where what he does works.