Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) and twin brother Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) stand on the court during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) and twin brother Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) stand on the court during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The NBA’s current CBA makes it harder than ever for teams to balance their budget. No longer is the era of top-heavy superteams, and executives have adjusted by learning to be more selective with their cap space.
For role players like Ausar and Amen Thompson, this reality means that they must work to earn every penny if they want a sizeable, long-term contract. Fortunately, after an impressive three-year run, both players are set to earn new extensions this summer. Starting with Amen, he’s projected to secure roughly $220 million (short of the max) from the Rockets after stepping up as their second-best player last season.
“Amen is likely going to get a little more than his brother just because he’s played more of an inflated role and been more important to his team’s success,” said Siegel. “He’s emerged as their number two, number three guy on that team, and he’s going to hold a very integral part next to Kevin Durant this season. He’s eligible to sign a five-year, $250 million rookie-scale max. I don’t think that’s what he’s gonna get. I think he’s gonna get a deal somewhere around 20-22% of the cap. Probably just north of $220 million, five-year extension, but I do expect Amen and the Rockets to get a new long-term deal done.”
Amen was drafted one spot above his brother in 2023, and he’s validating the placement with his performance in Houston. He showed steady growth in each of his first three years, finishing the 2025-26 campaign with averages of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 53.4% shooting from the field. Behind the combined lead of Amen and Kevin Durant, the Rockets finished fifth in the West at 52-30.
Unsurprisingly, Ausar shares a similar skill set as his brother, but his offensive game isn’t quite as refined. In fact, with averages of 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game on 52.5% shooting from the field, Ausar will likely make at least $15 million less in average yearly salary. Still, it’s a fair price to pay for his role and contributions on a Pistons team that finished first in the standings.
“Ausar is held up by Jalen Duren right now,” Siegel added. “The Pistons do want to keep Duren, but until that situation gets figured out and they know what the long-term numbers are going to look like, that’s when they’ll have the conversations to hammer out a new deal. I think he’s gonna get a deal done, something around the $30 million range.”
The Thompson twins were always projected to play major roles in the league, and that prophecy has been fulfilled. While their value may not be totally equal, they both provide essential contributions to their team that are enough to warrant a massive contract extension.
For the Rockets and Pistons, the brothers can be part of their long-term plans, and that stability is important to have in today’s NBA. With financial flexibility so fragile, signing the wrong players can be like a death sentence to a team’s title aspirations, and that’s why these contracts for the Thompson twins are such a big deal. If their teams are this confident already, it’s a good sign of their NBA future.