Thompson delivered a breakout third season in 2025-26, setting career highs in points (18.3), assists (5.3), steals (1.5) and minutes (37.4) while grabbing 7.8 rebounds across a career-best 79 games. Fred VanVleet's torn ACL handed Thompson the keys as one of Houston's primary ball-handlers. He earned First Team All-Defense honors, cementing his identity as an elite two-way disruptor, and carried that momentum into the playoffs, averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.0 steals in a six-game first-round loss to the Lakers. The one persistent blemish is his jumper-he's a career 21.9% shooter from distance-though a jump to 77.9% at the free-throw line this season offered a glimmer of progress.Looking ahead to 2026-27, there are reasons to remain optimistic. Houston picked up his $12.26 million option and reportedly views him as the only near-untouchable player on the roster, with a lucrative extension in the works-clear signals he's a franchise cornerstone whose role is secure. The key variable is VanVleet's return from the ACL tear. A healthy VanVleet would reclaim some on-ball duties and could trim Thompson's assist and usage totals, but as VanVleet ages and gets his minutes managed, Thompson should retain plenty of runway. The firmer cap on his ceiling is the shooting paired with high-usage teammates in Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, so don't bank on a leap in scoring volume. Even so, his defensive floor (steals, blocks, elite on-ball defense), rare rebounding from the guard slot and improving efficiency make him a dependable multi-category producer.