Predicting Amen Thompson's Next Contract with Rockets

He's going to get paid, but how much?

May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) shoots outside against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The 2025-26 NBA regular season is over and done with. And the playoffs are also nearing an end, as we're in the Conference Finals round, with a little over a week until the NBA Finals kick off.

For the Houston Rockets, their official 2025-26 campaign has been in the books for about a month now, following their first round postseason exit to the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. The team has decisions to make this summer, as it pertains to solidifying the roster. 

The 2026-27 version of the team will surely look different, particularly the roster. One player who will be here to stay for good is Amen Thompson. 

He will certainly be on the team next season. However, he's going to receive a pay raise, as he's in line for an extension.

And he's eligible for a rookie scale max contract, worth upto 25 percent of the Rockets' salary cap. Such a deal would be comprised of $251 million over five years.

There has been chatter and buzz regarding whether the Rockets will give Thompson the full max. It's been a polarizing topic, as many are in disagreement on the subject.

To some, it's not advisable to give Thompson such a deal that ties up the Rockets' salary cap, given his inability to shoot from the outside. To others, Thompson's overall all-around contributions make it a no-brainer, especially considering that he's still just 23 years old.

Regardless of which side of the fence you stand on, it shouldn't be assumed that the Rockets will give Thompson the full max. It would be antithetical to how Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone has operated on the contractual front. 

Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun was inked to a five-year deal worth $185 million, an average annual value of $37 million. The Rockets also gave Jabari Smith Jr. an extension worth $122 million over five years.

So what type of deal should we expect Thompson to receive? I'd imagine something like $216 million for Thompson over five seasons.

Sure that's a little less than his full max but it's not a significantly lower number. Thompson and his camp wouldn't turn that down.

This past season, the Rockets tasked Thompson with a greater workload on the offensive end, asking him to operate as Houston's on-ball guard, while still anchoring down on the defensive end.

He led the league in minutes and averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists, while shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 77.9 percent from the foul line. In the postseason, Thompson averaged 19.2 points, 7 rebounds and 5.7 assists, while averaging 44 minutes per contest.