Amen Thompson, Rockets Reportedly Agree to $208M Contract Extension, Updated Salary Cap

The Houston Rockets rewarded one of the NBA's rising young stars with a new deal on Thursday.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Rockets and wing Amen Thompson agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale contract extension. The 2026-27 season was set to be the final year of Thompson's rookie deal with a salary of $12.3 million, so Thursday's extension is a major pay bump for the 23-year-old.

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ESPN's Bobby Marks previously speculated that Thompson could receive a new deal "at or close to a five-year, $251 million extension." Keith Smith of Spotrac predicted that it would be a five-year, $185 million deal to match center Alperen Sengun. Marks pointed out that Thompson ranked 15th among 188 players by holding opponents to 42.8 percent shooting as the closest defender.

Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that Houston considers Thompson "the only near untouchable on the roster," and Thursday's deal signifies the team's commitment to him.

The Rockets also signed restricted free agent Tari Eason to a five-year, $81.5 million deal, keeping their core of young two-way wings intact.

After Houston selected Thompson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, it didn't take him long to find his footing in the league. He followed up a solid rookie season with a strong sophomore campaign that resulted in an All-Defensive first team selection.

Thompson's third year in the NBA saw him grow even further while sharing the floor with star forward Kevin Durant. He averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals while starting 79 games. He led Houston with 37.4 minutes per game, and he remained the team's engine in the postseason, upping his average to 19.2 points in the first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers as the Rockets were eliminated in six games.

Thompson has shown the potential to be a two-way star who can make an impact on both ends of the floor. Thursday's deal shows that Houston views him as a franchise cornerstone, and his role will continue to grow as the Rockets try to contend for an NBA title next season and beyond.

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