汤普森双胞胎续约总额3.63亿美元，阿门5年2.08亿高于弟弟5300万

The Thompson twins’ contract extensions have created one of the most unusual financial stories of the 2026 NBA offseason. Houston Rockets guard-forward Amen Thompson and Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson have secured a combined $363 million in new money, giving both 23-year-old twins long-term commitments from separate franchises. Houston committed five years and $208 million to Amen Thompson, while Detroit followed with five years and $155 million for Ausar Thompson. Those deals made the brothers the first siblings in NBA history to each receive contracts worth at least $100 million.

The size of the deals matters, but the difference between them tells an even more interesting story. Amen received $53 million more because his offensive development has advanced enough to give the Rockets a potential primary creator. Ausar’s value remains heavily tied to elite defense and complementary offense. Both extensions begin with the 2027-28 season, allowing Houston and the Pistons to secure young core pieces before the twins reach unrestricted free agency.

Thompson Twins Contract Extensions Reflect Different Paths

The 2023 NBA Draft placed Amen and Ausar together in NBA history before either player had appeared in a professional game. The Rockets selected Amen fourth overall, and Detroit took Ausar fifth, making the brothers the first twins selected in the top 10 of the same NBA Draft. Questions about shooting consistency and half-court offense followed both prospects into the league, but three seasons of development have changed the financial equation.

Amen’s five-year, $208 million rookie-scale extension carries a 10% trade kicker and runs through the 2031-32 season. Ausar’s five-year, $155 million agreement is fully guaranteed with no option terms and keeps him under contract through the 2031-32 season. The two contracts provide similar length and long-term security while reflecting the different roles each player has established with his franchise.

The timing also mattered for the 2023 draft class. Eligible first-round picks had until Oct. 19 to sign rookie-scale extensions or head toward restricted free agency in 2027. Amen and Ausar avoided that uncertainty while their teams retained control over their next major contracts. Houston and the Pistons effectively paid for additional development time before the open market could establish a potentially higher price. That timing became a central part of each franchise’s decision.

Why Amen Thompson Received $53 Million More

Amen’s $208 million extension is easier to understand when offensive responsibility enters the equation. The Rockets guard averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals across 79 games in 2025-26 while shooting 53.4% from the field. Career highs in points, assists, and steals showed an offensive progression that turned Amen from a transition-focused athlete into a player capable of initiating offense for long stretches.

Houston also have evidence that Amen can influence possessions without needing high-volume scoring. The 6-foot-7 forward can rebound and immediately push the ball, attack mismatches, create for teammates, and defend multiple positions while playing alongside established creators. A stronger half-court scoring package would raise his ceiling even further. That potential helps explain why the Rockets were willing to commit $41.6 million per season to a player entering his age-24 campaign.

Houston general manager Rafael Stone made the organization’s reasoning clear when discussing the agreement. “Amen represents everything we want our organization to be about,” Stone said in the Rockets announcement, while pointing to Amen’s two-way ability, toughness, work ethic, and year-over-year improvement. The endorsement matters because Houston is not simply paying for the 18.3 points per game Amen produced last season. The Rockets are paying for a player they believe can become even more central to their offense.

Ausar Thompson Earned Detroit’s $155 Million Bet

Ausar’s $155 million extension comes from a different type of value. Detroit can use Cade Cunningham as its primary offensive organizer. Ausar can create defensive advantages, attack in transition, rebound from the wing, and connect possessions without requiring high usage. Such a role still carries significant value when the player performing it can defend at an All-Defensive level.

Ausar averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks across 73 games in 2025-26. The 2.0 steals led the NBA, while All-Defensive First Team recognition and a third-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting established his impact beyond traditional scoring statistics. The Pistons also won 60 games and finished first in the Eastern Conference, giving Ausar a meaningful team-success backdrop for his extension.

The playoffs provided another measurable reason for Detroit’s commitment. Ausar averaged 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks across 14 postseason games, while the Pistons credited him with 28 steals, 25 blocks, 55 deflections, and 32 forced turnovers. The Detroit defensive data also identifies Ausar as the first player since Anthony Davis in 2020 to record at least 25 steals and 25 blocks in one postseason.

Offensive limitations remain the clearest distinction between Ausar and Amen. Better three-point shooting and more reliable half-court scoring would force defenses to respect Ausar differently, but the Pistons already know the defensive baseline is elite. A fully guaranteed five-year commitment therefore gives Detroit a high-level defensive piece beside Cunningham while leaving room for offensive development.

How The Thompson Twins Compare With Their Draft Class

The Thompson twins are not the only 2023 lottery selections receiving enormous extensions, but their contracts occupy different places within the class. Victor Wembanyama agreed to a five-year extension with the San Antonio Spurs that could be worth up to $252 million. The Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George agreed to five years and $157.5 million after averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists in 2025-26. The 2027 free agency outlook also placed Amen and Ausar among the notable members of the class facing major contract decisions.

The financial comparison puts Amen’s deal at an average of $41.6 million per season, compared with $31 million for Ausar and $31.5 million for George.  Wembanyama’s reported $252 million agreement sits substantially higher because of his established All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year résumé. Amen’s contract reflects a player whose two-way impact is paired with a developing offensive role. George’s $157.5 million agreement sits almost directly alongside Ausar’s total despite the two players reaching that value through very different skill sets.

The comparison also shows why the Thompson twins’ extensions stand out. Only four members of the 2023 first-round class had agreed to rookie-scale extensions as of Sept. 18: Wembanyama, Amen, Ausar, and George. Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, Cason Wallace, Dereck Lively II, and other members of the 2023 class remained without extensions. Houston and Detroit were among the teams willing to make substantial commitments before those players could reach restricted free agency in 2027.

Different Contracts, Similar Long-Term Bet

The Rockets’ decision also carries a clear roster-building purpose. Kevin Durant remains a central part of Houston’s current championship push. Amen represents one of the players capable of taking on a larger role as the Rockets eventually transition beyond the veteran star. Houston’s investment protects access to that next stage without forcing the franchise to discover Amen’s full offensive ceiling after his rookie contract expires.

The Pistons faces a similar timeline with a different team structure. Cunningham remains the offensive centerpiece, while Ausar can provide the defensive foundation and connective play that allows Detroit’s primary creators to operate more effectively. The Pistons’ 60-win season and Eastern Conference-leading finish gave the organization evidence that Ausar’s defensive role already fits a winning formula rather than merely projecting one.

End Of My Thompson Twins Contract Extensions Rant

The Thompson Twins Contract Extensions make sense because both players were already translating their most valuable traits into winning basketball. Neither brother had to enter a traditional prime to prove his value.  Amen combined 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals while taking on expanded offensive responsibility. Ausar averaged 2.0 steals per game, earned All-Defensive First Team recognition, and delivered elite defensive activity in the postseason. Houston and Detroit therefore committed $363 million to measurable production that already fits two different roster structures.

The $53 million gap remains the clearest financial distinction between the brothers. Amen’s contract reflects the greater offensive responsibility the Rockets are preparing him to handle. Ausar’s deal reflects how much the Pistons value defensive impact alongside Cunningham without requiring comparable scoring production. Both extensions begin in 2027-28, giving each franchise several seasons to develop the twins before the players reach the next major stage of their careers.

The real bet is not what Amen and Ausar were at 23 years old, but what their existing production can become by the end of these contracts. Houston is betting that Amen’s offensive game can grow alongside his defensive foundation. Detroit is betting that Ausar can add enough shooting and half-court scoring to complement an already elite defensive profile. Those development paths explain why two franchises committed $363 million now: both teams saw enough evidence to believe the Thompson twins’ best basketball is still ahead.