Detroit Pistons: 3 huge overreactions from Summer League so far

The Detroit Pistons are halfway through their Summer League schedule, the perfect time for wild overreactions about what we’ve seen so far.

Detroit beat Orlando in the first game, a sloppy effort with spirited defense and a whole lot of turnovers. The Pistons lost game two against the rival Rockets, as Jabari Smith Jr. went off for 38 points and Detroit didn’t have much of an answer.

There was plenty to work on and plenty to like in both games, and fans have reason to be excited about Ausar Thompson, Marcus Sasser and the development of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren.

It’s just Summer League of course, so ultimately all of this is meaningless speculation for a bit of fun, so keep in mind that these are overreactions that might contain a little truth, but will need a LOT more time before we’ll know.

Detroit Pistons: 3 huge overreactions from Summer League so far

Ausar Thompson is the next Kawhi Leonard!

Ok, let’s slow down.

But you have to love what you’ve seen from rookie Ausar Thompson so far. First off, his athleticism stands out immediately like few players I’ve seen recently. He’s the bouncy wing the Pistons have been after forever and at the very least is going to be a very good defender in the NBA. He’s averaged 2.5 blocks and 2.0 steals in his first two Summer League games and has defended several positions.

He has shown instincts on both sides of the ball, gives big effort on defense, doesn’t force things and makes good decisions. If his shooting comes around, he’s going to be a dynamic two-way forward who can be an absolute stopper on defense.

So could Ausar become an MVP-level forward like Kawhi Leonard? A guy who can carry a team to a title? Probably not, but Kawhi wasn’t exactly a dynamic offensive player as a rookie. He made an impact grabbing rebounds (5.1 per game) and steals (1.3) per game while only scoring 7.9 points.

Those numbers are about what I’d expect out of Ausar Thompson next season, as he will likely come off the bench initially and will not get a ton of touches in the half court. He’s going to have to defend and rebound his way into the starting five, and depending on Detroit’s next moves, that could be soon.

It’s far too soon to anoint Ausar as the next great two-way forward in the league, but he’s shown that he can make a big impact without needing the ball much, so if he improves his shooting efficiency, Detroit may have gotten a steal.