The San Antonio Spurs moved early this offseason to secure Victor Wembanyama with a five-year, $252 million extension, a logical step after Wemby helped push the franchise to the NBA Finals. Now, a short drive east on I-10, the Houston Rockets are making their own long-term commitment by handing Amen Thompson a major new deal.
Thompson and Houston have agreed to a five-year, $208 million contract extension, placing him alongside Wembanyama as the only members of the 2023 NBA Draft class to land rookie extensions to this point. Together, the two deals account for a staggering $460 million in future salary.
The agreement also features a 10% trade kicker. In terms of cap percentage, Thompson’s extension mirrors the deal Alperen Sengun signed in 2024, when the Rockets big man committed to Houston for five years and $185 million.
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With Thompson and Sengun locked in as foundational pieces, the Rockets are positioning themselves for a sustained push toward their first NBA Finals appearance since 1995. Houston is also counting on Kevin Durant for another season, while Fred VanVleet’s return from right ACL and meniscus tears gives the roster another veteran piece as the franchise eyes a deeper playoff run.
The Rockets drafted Thompson with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, and his growth has been steady ever since. Last season, he led the league in minutes played while setting career highs in points (18.3), assists (5.3), and steals (1.5) per game. He entered the NBA with a strong defensive reputation, but he has since developed into one of the league’s most relentless perimeter defenders.
The next step for Thompson is translating that rise into postseason success. Houston won 52 games in both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 campaigns, yet the Rockets still have not advanced past a playoff series during that stretch. The Western Conference is expected to be unforgiving again next season, but Houston has assembled an intriguing blend of young core players — including Thompson, Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason — with proven veterans such as Durant and VanVleet.
Whether that mix is enough to deliver a championship remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the Rockets are prepared to spend aggressively in pursuit of one.
