The Detroit Pistons signed one of their best players, small forward Ausar Thompson, to a five-year, $155-million contact extension Friday, a deal that will keep one of the NBA's best young defenders in Motown. The move came as Jalen Duren to the Kings rumors swirled and fans began wondering how Detroit's lineup will shake out this coming season.
Ausar Thompson was taken with the fifth pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, one spot behind his twin brother Amen of the Houston Rockets. Amen Thompson signed a five-year, $208 million contract extension earlier this month, influencing the market price.
Ausar Thompson, 23, now has the stability of knowing where he will most likely remain for the next five years. Considering the limitations, and strengths, of his game, this deal looks like a good one for both sides.
Thompson grade: B+
Ausar Thompson will now have the chance to continue to develop and grow alongside superstar point guard Cade Cunningham as he works to further establish his reputation as one of the league's best defenders. Thompson and Cunningham make for a dynamic duo as Thompson's two steals and nearly one block per game help to jump-start the Pistons' Cunningham led offense.
Cunningham knows how to set up his teammates for open looks from three-point range, now it's up to Ausar Thompson to knock them down at a higher percentage. Ausar Thompson has shot 18, 22 and 25 percent from beyond the arc in his three NBA seasons and will look to improve that number this season.
Ausar Thompson will make significantly less money per season than his twin brother, but his contract compares favorably to a more established player with a more well-rounded skillset, Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who signed a five-year, $131 million rookie extension in October 2023.
Pistons Grade: B
Article Continues BelowAusar Thompson gives the Pistons the athleticism and young legs they need to keep up with rising East teams and established teams like the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, but signing him to a lucrative long-term deal is a bit of a gamble.
Thompson's inability to knock down three-pointers at a high rate makes him an offensive liability at times and limits what Detroit's offense is capable of if Jalen Duren sticks around, a situation that got trickier after Ausar Thompson's contract signing. Duren was an All-Star last season but did not make a single three-pointer.
Detroit's offense can only go so far with limited shooters Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren among its top three players. The question is whether or not general manager Trajan Langdon and head coach JB Bickerstaff think a Big 3 of Cunningham, Thompson and Duren is enough to win the Eastern Conference and compete for an NBA championship.
If Langdon gives Duren the massive contract extension he is currently seeking, the Pistons will likely have to rely on that group to lead them forward as their top three players. If not, Langdon will have more chances to get creative and add outside shooters around Cunningham and Ausar Thompson.
Ausar Thompson has improved his three-point percentage each year he's been in the NBA, but there appears to be a ceiling on his shooting skills. Perhaps he will break through that ceiling and becoming a McDaniels or better caliber three-and-D player who can lead the Pistons to the next level.
If not, the Pistons could be forced to rearrange the deck chairs on their ship as they continue to jostle for position in a wide open Eastern Conference that has seen several contenders emerge in recent years.