Last offseason, the biggest question hanging over the Detroit Pistons was whether they would offer extensions to either Jaden Ivey or Jalen Duren.
The Pistons weren’t able to come to an agreement with either of them and were just fine with that, as Detroit wanted to see more before they could commit to them as long-term pieces.
Ivey needed to show he was healthy and could get back to the guy we saw before his freak injury. That didn’t happen, and the Pistons had to jettison him before things got ugly, a trade they clearly won and will continue to win in the draft.
Jalen Duren went in the opposite direction, blossoming into a star, making his first All-Star team and answering pretty much every question we had in the process. He’s going to get paid this summer, and even though it will cost the Pistons more, it was still smart to make him prove it. The Pistons will happily eat that money, knowing they are making a smart investment.
Ausar Thompson will be eligible for an early extension this summer, and it’s a much different situation than the one they faced last year.
The Pistons would be crazy not to lock Ausar Thompson up as soon as possible
There are no questions about Ausar Thompson other than “how good can this guy be?” He’s already an All-World defender, arguably the best in the business, and will be making his first appearance on the All-Defensive team this year.
His impact is obvious if you watch the games but also in the numbers, which show the Pistons are simply a better team when he’s on the court.
His defense the last month has helped keep the Pistons afloat with Cade Cunningham out, so Thompson has far fewer questions around him than Ivey and Duren did.
The Pistons have to hedge against another big leap
Thompson is already worth the investment even if he doesn’t make any improvements on offense, but if he does, he’s going to make several All-Star teams in addition to All-Defense.
Thompson may never be able to shoot from long range, but has shown improvements in other areas, including his playmaking and cutting. He’s still a monster in transition and does so many other things well that it doesn’t really matter if he ever shoots 3-pointers effectively.
Of course, it would be nice if he did, but the Pistons have to hedge their bets against that by signing Thompson to a contract as soon as possible. If they don’t, and he makes that offensive leap next season (which is a possibility), they’ll be in the same situation they’re in now with Duren, staring down the barrel of a max or near max deal.
Thompson doesn’t come with any of the risks, so there is no reason to wait, and the Pistons would be wise not to.