The Pistons needed some offensive growth from their young players after a puzzling offseason that failed to land a big star. In Detroit's first preseason game, Ausar Thompson showed that he may be ready to deliver that improvement with his aggression as a scorer and playmaker. Thompson finished with 10 points and 2 assists in just 18 minutes while looking much more comfortable with the ball in his hands.
Thompson worked on the right things this offseason
Since Thompson entered the league, and especially since he signed his huge 5-year/$155 million contract extension, there's been a lot of talk about his lack of a 3-point shot. However, he's never needed that range to be more effective on offense. Instead, more confidence as a scorer in all areas of the court and a better handle can be huge for him.
In the preseason opener, he showcased those exact improvements. Thompson had the ball in his hands plenty and attacked his individual defenders with a newfound aggression. Historically, teams have been able to stash their worst defenders on Thompson without much fear of him exploding for a big performance. But he punished those coverages from the Suns by taking his man to the rim or pulling up for smooth midrange jumpers.
Importantly, Thompson didn't seem overwhelmed by his new offensive responsibilities. He still maintained his strong defense, finishing with 3 steals and 1 block in his limited minutes. The Pistons could rely on him defensively as hard as ever, so he'll need to have enough energy to impact both ends throughout the season.
It's just the preseason
Thompson's performance was very promising and obviously enough to get me excited. But the truth of the matter is that he's still only competing in a preseason contest against the Suns who weren't giving full effort. This offensive growth still has to carry over into the regular season and playoffs as teams scout Thompson's offensive game more intently.
The Pistons hope that he can keep it up and take pressure off Cade Cunningham as the only solid ball-handler among the starting lineup. If Ausar can grow into a solid secondary ball-handler, the Pistons will have more info and leverage to make a trade and vault into contender status without giving up too much.
The future of the Pistons' team-building is reliant on the improvements that Thompson and Jalen Duren can make this season. There's a long ways to go before Ausar is considered a consistent offensive threat, but his first preseason performance was a great step in the right direction. The Pistons should be thrilled with what they saw and encourage him to do more of the same once the games count.
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