The Houston Rockets signed Amen Thompson to a lucrative extension yesterday that should set the salary ceiling for his twin brother Ausar Thompson on the Detroit Pistons.
Amen Thompson reportedly signed a 5 year/$208 million deal that averages out to a hefty $41.6 million per year.
Jalen Duren is probably looking at that and wondering why he can’t get the same.
His contract negotiations have held up the Pistons’ business with their own Thompson Twin, who they would also like to ink this offseason.
Amen and Ausar are not the same players, so even though Amen’s number looks huge, it’s actually a good thing for the Pistons.
Ausar Thompson won’t get as much as his brother and he’ll be worth every penny
Count me as one of the people who thinks Amen Thompson’s contract will actually look like a steal in a few years, as he’s already a special player and only going to get better.
I put twin brother Ausar in the same category, as I haven’t seen athletes like them since the Dennis Rodman days, so whatever the Pistons pay him, he’ll end up being well worth it, as he too will improve.
But Amen is the better twin right now, as he averages nearly double the points and assists and more rebounds than his brother, even though Ausar is considered the better defender.
Ausar’s offensive numbers will likely keep his contract far lower than his brother’s, so I expect him to sign somewhere in the £35 million a year range, which will also be a bargain in a few years.
Elite perimeter defenders like Ausar don’t come around often, so if he adds to his offensive creation and scoring as his brother has, he’ll be worth whatever deal the Pistons give him, even if it’s close to Amen’s number.
You can see why the Pistons want to sign Jalen Duren first
I’ve wondered why the Pistons don’t just sign Ausar now, but if his contract is going to be anywhere near Amen’s, you can understand why Detroit wants to get Duren’s deal done first.
The Pistons are offering Duren something in the $175-180 range over five years, so the last thing they want is for him to see his teammate getting a similar contract or even slightly larger.
But Duren needs to understand that Ausar Thompson plays a more valuable position, and he also did something that Duren didn’t, which is step up and play well in the playoffs last season.
Thompson was a monster defensively and was one of the reasons the Pistons were able to escape the first round. He was the main focus of the Cavaliers’ gameplan in round 2, so Thompson showed he can thrive in the postseason.
Amen Thompson has set the salary ceiling for his brother, and if the Pistons can get Ausar for less, it will be a win for Detroit.
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