Rockets Media Member: If Wembanyama Does Not Meet Eligibility Standards, Amen Could Be a DPOY Contender

Houston Rockets media member Jackson Gatlin recorded the Locked On Rockets podcast, and in the latest episode he discussed topics related to Rockets young backcourt star Amen Thompson.

Gatlin said: If Wembanyama does not reach the 65-game threshold, it is really difficult to say who can win Defensive Player of the Year. His twin brother Ausar Thompson would be a smart choice, considering he was close to winning the award last season. Chet Holmgren is also a reasonable option because he will eventually win this honor. But even he has missed a lot of time during his career and may not be guaranteed to reach the 65-game requirement. As for the odds, Wembanyama is the favorite at -340. Holmgren ranks second at +1000, while Ausar is third at +2500. Amen's current odds are +7500, a significant drop in ranking, with Scottie Barnes, Dyson Daniels, Evan Mobley and Bam Adebayo ahead of him. Daniels is another non-big player besides Amen and Ausar who has strong potential and sufficient reasons to be included in the DPOY discussion.

But I do believe that in the upcoming season, with Fred VanVleet returning and Marcus Smart joining the team, the Rockets have strengthened their ball-handling and playmaking. Amen will absolutely return to the role he played two seasons ago, when VanVleet was healthy. We will see the Amen who can disrupt opponents' tactics all over the court like a major force. His defensive impact and the excitement he brings to fans will return. We will once again see the two terrifying defensive players working together, or perhaps we will have to call them a terrifying trio because Smart's arrival gives the Rockets another elite perimeter defender. Imagine opponents having to face the defense of Smart, Amen and Tari Eason.

If Wembanyama does not reach the required number of games, will someone else have a huge lead, or can Amen at least be part of the competitive discussion? I believe he absolutely has a chance to become a final contender along with Holmgren. The Oklahoma City Thunder are filled with excellent defenders, and it could even be said that every player on the team is a strong defensive player. In comparison, the Rockets do not have an entire roster of top-level defenders, and some players have struggled defensively. Therefore, the Thunder's overall defensive strength could actually become a disadvantage for Holmgren.

Thompson was born in January 2003 and is currently 23 years old. He is 201 cm tall and weighs 91 kg. He was selected by the Houston Rockets with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. In last season's NBA regular season, Thompson played 79 games, averaging 37.4 minutes per game. His averages were 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds (3.0 offensive rebounds), 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks, along with 2.4 turnovers and 2.2 fouls. He shot 53.4% from the field (7.1/13.2), 21.6% from three-point range (0.3/1.5), and 77.9% from the free-throw line (3.8/4.9). In the playoffs, Thompson appeared in 6 games, averaging 44.1 minutes per game. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds (2.5 offensive rebounds), 5.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks, with 2.5 turnovers and 3.2 fouls. He shot 48.8% from the field (7.0/14.3), 25.0% from three-point range (0.3/1.3), and 70.7% from the free-throw line (4.8/6.8). Previously, Amen received a five-year, $208 million rookie extension from the Rockets, including a 10% trade kicker.