Inside The Rockets

Should Rockets Start Amen Thompson or Tari Eason?

The Houston Rockets are getting a lot of value from two young reserves.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA;Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) reaches to steal the ball from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA;Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) reaches to steal the ball from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a strong start this season thanks to a number of different factors, including Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, who have been phenomenal off the bench for the team.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes suggests the idea of inputting Thompson and Eason into the starting lineup.

"While it's understandable that head coach Ime Udoka might want to lean on a starting group with a couple of vets in it, the work Thompson and Eason are doing on D could lift the Rockets to another level. Houston absolutely dominates (plus-17.1 net rating; 94th-percentile defensive rating) whenever those two are on the court together," Hughes writes. "At the very least, the Rockets need to acknowledge that both Thompson and Eason are bigger parts of the team's long-term plans than VanVleet and Brooks. More immediately, the defensive upside alone is worth exploring more."

Given the fact that the Rockets have invested more money into Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, they will likely remain the starters — at least for now. Their seniority also has an impact on the machinations of the lineups, but Ime Udoka may not be afraid to make a change if needed.

That being said, Thompson and Eason have been so strong off the bench that it may not make sense to break that mojo. Eventually, one or both of them would make sense for the Rockets moving forward.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News