Ausar Thompson has already established himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. The third-year forward is an elite athlete who has the physical tools to become a high-level two-way winger. The Detroit Pistons are very aware of this fact and have reportedly made him almost untouchable in trade talks. Although Thompson plays an important role in Detroit’s elite defense, he has not established himself as an indispensable part of that core. In fact, the minimal nature of his role in recent weeks has been particularly disappointing.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff benched Thompson throughout Detroit’s loss to the Jazz on Friday. He ended up playing just 16 minutes before following up with just 24 minutes against the Clippers on Sunday. Thompson played less than five minutes in the fourth quarter after struggling all night to slow down Kawhi Leonard.
Ausar Thompson’s lack of offensive play is a problem
This is not the trajectory the Pistons were hoping to see with their fifth overall pick. The 22-year-old hasn’t taken a step forward on the offensive end as he continues to be a liability there. He still isn’t taking any and doesn’t seem ready to pose a threat from the outside. On the contrary, his shooting has regressed, as demonstrated by the fact that he made only 55.7% of his free throws. This makes it difficult to trust him in critical moments.
Thompson’s minutes per game increased from 22.5 to 26.5 this season, but he still isn’t closing out every game for the Pistons. His usage rate remained the same at 19.1%, and his efficiency took a step back. 53.8% True Shooting for a player who shoots almost exclusively at the rim and in transition is very disappointing. In addition to his free throw percentage, his two-point FG percentage dropped from 57.2% to 52.7% this season.
The advantage for Thompson is still there. He is a devastating transition player and disruptive defender. He has enough ball-handling and playmaking skills to be optimistic about his future.
Thompson’s lack of offensive development is concerning, however. His inability to pose a threat in the half court is a problem for a team that already has several non-shooters, making him a tough choice in some lineups.
The Pistons are now title contenders and must make their decisions accordingly. Having a non-shooting perimeter makes things difficult and could come back to bite them in the playoffs.
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