Detroit Pistons draft: Is Amen or Ausar Thompson the better fit?

Detroit Pistons draft: The case for Ausar Thompson over brother Amen

Now, on to Ausar. Some have said he’s the less athletic brother of the two, but in my mind that’s like saying that Coke isn’t as sweet as Pepsi (it isn’t, but it’s plenty sweet). Ausar will author plenty of his own highlights and frequently get people jumping out of their seats with the athleticism he does have. And while this point may be debatable, the long-running narrative around him is that he has a high floor – sort of the opposite of his brother, somewhat a rarity for the two.

Although Amen is a natural at the point, Ausar is no slouch when it comes to passing the basketball. In fact, he’s good at it. Neither initiating the offense nor adjusting on the fly are strengths, but he’s still a high IQ player capable of making some spectacular plays. He can read the floor. He has shooting mechanics issues, same as his brother, and it’s a part of his game that must develop. Hard to be the proverbial 3-and-D guy without the 3, although he flashed progress in this regard later in the year. His midrange pull-up game is also weak – he could certainly stand a few pointers from Cade here.

Defensively, he’s a star in the making. He’s great on or off the ball, excellent on the perimeter, switchy, and capable of becoming a problem in the front court too once he gets stronger. He’s already a good rebounder.

Amen has the higher ceiling, but if what Weaver favors is a player with greater versatility and who can make a wider array of contributions to the team, especially defensively, Ausar is hard to argue with. That said, the phrase “historically bad” was often used to describe the Pistons defense last season.

CONCLUSION

Well, it depends. If Weaver remains committed to Ivey and sees him as part of the backcourt of the future, Ausar is the twin to add to the mix. If Weaver sees Amen as being superior to Jaden, and wants to try his luck with a guy who has been said to have superstar upside, the case for Amen is made.