Analyst Says Increased Workload Could Cause Rockets' Amen Thompson to Miss DPOY

The Rockets will have to manage this.

May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) dunks the ball during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Amen Thompson established himself as one of the league's best up-and-coming players in 2024-25. He's a freak athlete who is a man possessed when getting downhill. 

It's difficult to stop him when he's attacking. He can also play a myriad of positions, as he's been used by Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka as more of a wing, but he's been a point guard for most of his life.

Thompson will be tasked with significantly more point guard duties this season, in light of the fateful season-ending ACL injury to starting point guard Fred VanVleet. Thompson's handle will certainly have to improve, for him to pull that off.

VanVleet rarely turned the ball over. 

On the flip side, Thompson is a much better defender. His size allows him to essentially defend any position on the court.

He made First Team All-Defense in his second season and he's only going to get better from here. But according to CBS Sports NBA writer Sam Quinn, the increased workload could cause him to miss out on winning Defensive Player of the Year. 

"I'm open to the idea of Amen Thompson. He was my pick to win the award last season. They have more than enough big wings to cover for him for short stretches. He'll still be a great defender. He just has more on his plate now.

He's good enough to win Defensive Player of the Year, and I might have endorsed the pick a few weeks ago. However, with Fred VanVleet injured, I expect his offensive workload to increase pretty meaningfully, and for the Rockets to compensate by finding ways to limit Thompson's defensive workload. "

This is a very reasonable school of thought, and is something Rockets coach Ime Udoka will have to manage. Thompson is going to essentially be running the offense and picking up the opposing team's top scoring threat on the other end.

That's alot. 

Not many players can carry that workload.

Thompson will be exhausted. There's not really a way to prevent this.

Especially with Dorian Finney-Smith limited. The Rockets will certainly work him back in slowly, especially since this same injury has plagued him for several seasons.

Dillon Brooks is gone.

Tari Eason could help here, as he's a tenacious defensive-minded wing, who has been seeking a larger role.

Even then, the Rockets can't afford to not have their best defender on the top scoring threat. It'll be interesting to see how they manage this.