Swapping identities? Amen was defeated by Osa in a duel between brothers. He has obvious shortcomings, and there is a high probability that he will not be able to get a maximum salary next year.

In the NBA, there are many brother combinations, such as the active Wagner brothers, Murray brothers and Curry brothers. There are also many twin combinations, such as the Morris brothers before and the Thompson brothers now. However, generally speaking, one brother always performs very well, while the other is less successful. The Thompson brothers who entered the league in 2023 can be said to be an exception.

Brother Amen Thompson, as the most outstanding defender in the OTE league, was selected by the Rockets with the fourth overall pick in the first round of 2023. And Osar Thompson, a versatile forward, also relied on his comprehensiveness in the forward position and was selected fifth in the first round of 2023. After being selected by the Pistons with the first pick, after two seasons, Amen Thompson is considered the most likely new star in the Rockets to receive a maximum salary. Last year, he was selected to the league's All-Defensive First Team, while Osar Thompson has not yet received any honors.

However, in the last two games between the Rockets and the Pistons, his younger brother Osar Thompson was the winner in the end. Especially in the game that just ended, Osar scored 19 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 24 minutes. On the other hand, Amen Thompson only scored 10 points and 4 rebounds on 2 of 8 shots in 30 minutes. He also committed 5 fouls and 2 turnovers. After the game, many media ridiculed that Amen and Osar had switched identities in this game.

After the start of this season, Amen Thompson seemed very uncomfortable when he switched to the No. 1 position. According to the media, he focused on improving his ball-handling ability and outside three-pointers during the offseason. However, in the first game, Amen Thompson took 8 shots from the outside and failed to hit a single one. This made him timid in the game against the Pistons.

With no threat from the outside, Amen Thompson's efficiency on the offensive end has also been greatly affected. After all, the opponent only needs to stick to him tightly to prevent him from breaking through. At the same time, the starting teammates Shen Jing and Adams are not good at three-pointers, causing the opponent's defense to shrink even more. Even if Amen breaks through, there will be someone to help defend. This is why he failed to show the vitality of last season in the first two games of the new season.

In fact, you can see Amen's struggles this season from the per-game statistics. Last season, Amen averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 55.7%. In the 2 games Amen played this season, he averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, and his shooting percentage was only 40%.

After the two games, many media are also giving advice to Amen Thompson, saying that now he should learn the playing style of excellent guards such as Alexander and Edwards, and use more rhythm to get rid of opponents, instead of blindly thinking about using speed to get rid of them. Since the opponent is strictly guarding the inside, he can choose another offensive method, such as using mid-range shots to adjust his feel. Last year, when Jaylen Green of the Rockets was not feeling good, he often used this method, and the effect was very good.

At the same time, judging from Amen’s current performance and basketball skills, perhaps the expected maximum salary next year is getting further and further away from him. The lack of shooting is a major flaw for players in the league now. Look at the past Westbrook, who is on the rise, can only earn a basic salary with the Kings. There are also two top picks, Ben Simmons and Fultz. Due to the lack of shooting ability, they can't even get a guaranteed contract. At this stage, it is impossible for Amen to get a maximum salary from the Rockets.

However, from a negative perspective, this may also be a good thing for the Rockets. This year, the team renewed Ethan's contract, but they were unable to discuss it because of salary issues. When the Rockets can renew Amen at a lower price next year, the possibility of keeping Ethan will increase. This will indeed be helpful for the Rockets to maintain the integrity of the team in the future. However, as a fan, I still hope that Amen can adjust quickly, let people see his progress, and hand in a satisfactory answer at the end of this season! What kind of contract do you think Amen can sign at the end of this season? Welcome to leave a message for discussion!