Six Years, $220 Million! Rockets’ Second-Largest Contract in Franchise History Is Born

On the night of September 3, 2026 Beijing time, renowned reporter Shams reported that the Rockets and Amen Thompson reached a five-year, $208 million early contract extension, which will take effect starting in the 2027-28 season. Amen still has one year remaining on his rookie contract, with a salary of $12.26 million for the 2026-27 season. In other words, Amen’s current total contract value is six years and $220.3 million, making it the second-largest contract in Rockets history.

Who holds the largest contract in Rockets history? The answer is Harden. In July 2017, Harden agreed with the Rockets on a four-year, $170 million early extension. Combined with the two years remaining on his previous contract, Harden’s total contract value at the time was six years and $228 million.

Amen was born in January 2003. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft and was part of the same draft class as Wembanyama. He measured 197.5 centimeters barefoot during the draft process, and Amen himself said he grew taller after entering the league. Amen possesses elite athletic ability, with strong finishing at the rim, rebounding, and defensive skills.

Last season, Amen appeared in 79 regular-season games, averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game, while shooting 53.4 percent from the field. He averaged 0.3 three-pointers per game with a three-point percentage of 21.6 percent. In the playoffs, he played six games, averaging 19.2 points, 7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range on 0.3 made threes per game.

Amen’s talent is remarkable, and the Rockets have high expectations for him, which is why they gave him an early extension this summer. Amen’s current weakness is his shooting ability. If he can develop his shooting, his talent could allow him to become a superstar-level player.

This summer, the Rockets brought in elite shooting coach Engelland. He previously spent 17 years with the Spurs, helping Parker, Leonard, Danny Green, and Dejounte Murray improve their shooting. He later joined the Thunder, where he helped players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander improve their shooting. The Rockets invested heavily to acquire him this summer, and Amen is expected to significantly improve his shooting under his guidance.