Pistons depth chart after the 2023 NBA Draft and before free agency

Pistons depth chart: What happens with Bojan Bogdanovic?

Ausar Thompson might already be the Pistons’ best perimeter defender, so it’s likely that he starts from day one unless they go out and get another starting-caliber wing in free agency who has more experience.

Ausar will likely just take the toughest defensive assignment on the perimeter, so you can forget about position, as you are who you defend and Thompson will likely defend 1-4 for the Pistons.

So where does that leave Bojan Bogdanovic?

Bogdanovic was the NBA’s worst wing defender last season, so acquiring Ausar Thompson is great for Bogs, who can now just be put on the weaker offensive forward. He had a hard time staying in front of wings, so it makes more sense to think of him as a power forward.

But he’ll have issues there too, so it’s very possible that Bogdanovic becomes a high-impact bench player if the Pistons go out and land another forward in free agency. It could also spell the end of Bojan’s time in Detroit, as he only has one more guaranteed year left on his deal and could be trade bait this offseason or at the deadline.

The Pistons also desperately need his shooting, so there is a world where they add another forward, keep Bogdanovic and just have more depth and variety. Either way, Ausar is good for Bogdanovic and will allow him to do his thing on offense without being a huge negative on the other end.