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[Houston Rockets]

Ime Udoka is overworking Rockets Amen Thompson

Every NBA player has a role. That’s not to say that every NBA player has the right role.

I worked at a law firm for five years. For the first year, I worked in the file room. I did well there because it would definitely be possible to train a primate to do the job.

Eventually, I was promoted to a desk job. I struggled mightily. It was far more complex. My manager hated me.

In time, it became clear that my biggest strength was talking to the clients. I became, in a sense, the face of the company. I was responsible for client intake – I was the first person you met. Perhaps the least competent, but people seem to trust me. I was also responsible for calling clients to give them bad news.

The point? I found my role. I went from a simple role to a role I couldn’t handle, into an ideal role.

Amen Thompson needs the same transformation with the Houston Rockets.

Rockets overburden young wing​

In 2024-25, Thompson had a 17.5% Usage Rate. This year, he’s up to 20.2%.

He has a 22.0% frequency as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, up from 15.8%. If you follow this team, you know what’s going on. Thompson was a wing last year, and this year, he’s the starting point guard.

That’s not all. It’s more difficult to quantify a defensive role change, but Thompson’s responsibilities have been qualitatively different in 2025-26. He is frequently tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player. Last season, that was typically Dillon Brooks’ job.

It’s all resulted in a puzzling season for Thompson. His basic counting stats are up across the board, but his Box Plus/Minus (BPM) has slipped from 4.1 to 1.8. For reference, that’s the difference between ranking between (coincidentally) Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant this year, compared to his real place tied with Santi Aldama and Nic Claxton.

Now, it has potentially resulted in an injury.

Rockets may be without Thompson for a spell​

Granted, the severity of his injury as of this writing is unknown.

More broadly, this could be a false correlation. Players get injured regardless of their workload. Yet, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Thompson is biting off more than he can chew.

His 36.9 minutes per game rank second in the league behind Tyrese Maxey. Thompson is being asked to do more than he’s ever done and play more in the process.

Last year, he earned his first (of many) All-Defense selections. He joined Dyson Daniels, Luguentz Dort, Draymond Green, and Evan Mobley. Where do Thompson’s All-Defense peers land in usage this year?

2024-25 All-Defensive Usage Rates in 2025-26

Evan Mobley (22.1%)

Amen Thompson (20.2%)

Draymond Green (16.9%)

Dyson Daniels (16.0%)

Luguentz Dort (14.1%(

So, Thompson is behind Mobley. Yet, in all likelihood, he isn’t really behind Mobley.

Thompson gets 73.4 touches per game to Mobley’s 66.5. Mobley does sometimes create for Cleveland, but he’s more of a play finisher, which factors into Basketball Reference’s measure of Usage. Simply put, Thompson is the only All-Defensive selection from 2024-25 operating as a primary ball-handler in 2025-26.

Given that the second All-Defensive squad was comprised of Toumani Camara, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, and Ivica Zubac, Thompson likely is the most or second-most (Williams) used offensive player between each squad. If Ime Udoka wants Thompson to continue making All-Defensive First Team appearances, he may need to lighten Thompson’s offensive load.

There seems to be a false dichotomy when we talk about “on” vs. “off” ball NBA players. To suggest that Houston should move Thompson to an “off-ball role” is an oversimplification. It would be more accurate to say that the Rockets should simply reduce his time on-ball.

That could help them find his perfect role.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...-is-overworking-houston-rockets-amen-thompson