Amen Thompson is the Rockets' REAL franchise player

Do you see Lebron or Russ as point guards or point forwards? Was Lebron's best trait being on ball or off ball? Russ?

 

What similarities does Amen have with either beyond athleticism? He plays nothing like either one, he's not even sniffing LeBron's vision/playmaking on his best and LeBron's worst day, like it's several tiers of difference. Russ is closer, but even then, Russ actually attacked people much bigger than him and posterised all of them, Amen's more from the Jalen Green school of driving.

 

Still see him very much as a rich man’s Jimmy Butler. Way further along than Butler in his 3rd season.

 

Amen is as good of a passer as Lebron. If not better. Lebron just had a much more sound frame and was bigger. He was basically jumbo Russ in his prime with a better shot. Lebron *could* pass. Westbrook was different. He passed to get assists he was not a natural playmaker. Reminds me of watching Anthony Edwards or Jalen Green who pass because they have to not because it's inherent in the way they play.

Amen is actually a much more gifted natural playmaker than young Lebron, his issue is that unlike young Lebron he doesn't have the size to bully or the shot making he had which makes his playmaking abilities sort of moot right now. He's the NBA's "potential man" right now. The minute he gets a serviceable jump shot then he vaults to Top 5 players in the league and the Rockets instantly become title favorites or at the minimum, Top 3 title contenders.

Amen in his 3rd Year has a better assist to turnover ratio than Lebron did at that time. Lebron's Assist to Turnover ratio actually didn't get close to current Amen's until his 5th year. So to respond to your statement on if he sniffs Lebron's playmaking....yes. He does. Handily actually if we're speaking about where they were in their 3rd year. He's also a better defender *right now* than Lebron has *ever been*.

 

Funny I've been saying that Amen could play the LeBron role. He is actually not a PG or anything. He's just LeBron. LeBron is positionless. He just does whatever needs to be done. Of course, Amen is still far from LeBron's level. He doesn't have LeBron's vision and handle. And even though LeBron has never been an elite shooter, he could score from outside from the outset. That said, it is possible that Amen will improve on those things and actually play that undefined role.

In a way, Westbrook is a much smaller version of Amen (without the defense). His size pretty much locked him in the PG role even though he was not a smart floor general and he also couldn't shoot (better than Amen though). His handle was also better than Amen.

This season just shows that it would take much longer time for Amen to develop into a primary playmaker. There are similarities with LeBron and Westbrook. But those guys could handle and shoot better than Amen from the beginning. And I wish Amen had Russ's attacking mentality.