Floor/ceiling player comparisons for the Pistons’ rookies

For the second straight year, the Detroit Pistons landed two players in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Ausar Thompson is an athletic forward with two-way potential and Marcus Sasser is a tough combo guard, who is more of a scorer than a playmaker.

We’ve only seen these two play a handful of Summer League games but there was plenty to like, as Thompson filled the highlight reel and played disruptive defense while Sasser busted out for 40 points after initially struggling to hit shots.

Player comparisons are always a bit foolish at this stage of a player’s career, but since we’re into the dog days of the offseason, it’s fun to think about the best and worst-case scenarios for the two Pistons’ rookies.

Floor/ceiling player comparisons for the Pistons’ rookies

Marcus Sasser

Floor: Monte Morris

Ceiling: Collin Sexton

When looking for comps for Marcus Sasser, you don’t have to look further than the Pistons’ roster, and veteran guard Monte Morris. At the very least, Sasser should be a solid backup level guard who can defend, take care of the ball and knock down 3-point shots. Sasser has a winning pedigree and seems like a guy who will know his role and play it well, much as Morris has for his career.

Both players are the same size, have similar athleticism and Morris should be a good mentor for Sasser in his rookie season.

The best-case scenario is that Sasser evolves into a dynamic scoring guard like Collin Sexton. Like Sexton, Sasser is point guard sized but plays more like a two. After having some big seasons for Cleveland, Sexton has settled into a lesser role in Utah, but still averaged 14 points a game this past season with very good shooting splits.

Sasser isn’t quite as athletic as Sexton, but he is a 3-level scorer who can hit 3-point shots and run the offense in spurts. I think the Detroit Pistons would be thrilled if Sasser ends up being at least a solid backup with potential to be more.

Ausar Thompson

Floor: Herb Jones

Ceiling: Kawhi Leonard

I’ve seen enough of Ausar Thompson to know he is going to be a very good defender in the NBA. He moves his feet well, has great instincts and reflexes and can be disruptive all over the floor getting into passing lanes for steals and blocking shots.

At the very least, he’ll be Herb Jones, one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, but a guy who struggles consistently to make shots, which limits him on the offensive end. Ausar is already a much better playmaker and passer than Jones, but he too could be limited by his lack of an outside shot.

So the floor for the 5th pick is a guy who should be a perennial candidate for the All-Defensive team.

His ceiling is being one of the best players on a title team, a dynamic two-way wing who can score 20+ per game, make plays for teammates and be a lockdown defender, much like Kawhi Leonard has been for most of his career (when healthy).

Before Kawhi evolved into a 25+ ppg scorer and arguably the best two-way forward in the game, he was a fairly limited offensive player who didn’t take many shots and did most of his damage on the defensive end.

Leonard only averaged 7.9 points per game as a rookie, but added five rebounds, 1.3 steals and nearly a block per game. If I had to guess, I’d say Ausar will exceed those numbers in his rookie season.

The difference is that Kawhi was always a pretty efficient shooter, even when he was shooting fewer than 10 shots per game. Ausar Thompson has the tools to get to Kawhi’s level as a defender, so the key to him reaching his ceiling will be efficiency on the offensive end. Can he shoot 35-37 percent from long range? Can he shoot over 50 percent from the floor overall?

These may be lofty comparisons considering we’ve barely seen these two play, but both flashed potential and will have a chance to have big roles with the Pistons next season.