We slogged through an offseason with consistent trade rumors involving the Detroit Pistons, but one name you didn’t hear was Ausar Thompson, and that’s because everyone knows he’s not going anywhere.
The young Pistons player most often included in trade rumors is Jaden Ivey, who is (so far) entering the final year of his contract without an extension in hand and missed the opportunity to prove himself after getting injured last season.
The most common (and starting to get annoying to be honest) rumor has the Pistons flipping Ivey and Tobias Harris for Lauri Markkanen, a trade with obvious red flags that no one ever mentions as they salivate about what the Pistons’ offense would look like.
Everyone from Zach Lowe to Bill Simmons has suggested the Pistons trade for Markkanen and in each version of the trade we always see either Ivey or occasionally Ron Holland.
In the dozens of fake trades that have been proposed this offseason, I haven’t seen one that included Ausar Thompson and for good reason.
Ausar Thompson is untouchable
Ok, we know no one is truly untouchable, as we watched Luka Doncic get traded last season, so untouchable doesn’t exist, but Thompson is the closest thing the Pistons have to it other than Cade Cunningham.
Thompson’s impact on the Pistons was apparent immediately last season, and his return is what helped forge the defensive identity that carried them to the playoffs.
He did that without having the benefit of an offseason and had to play himself into shape as the season progressed, things that won’t be true next season, which is why I expect Ausar to make a gigantic leap that will have his omission from the top 100 players list look like a joke.
The Pistons know that dynamic wings who are elite defenders are incredibly valuable and that Thompson is a perfect fit with Cade Cunningham. Those two are not going anywhere.
I would cautiously add Jalen Duren to that duo as the trio the Pistons are potentially building around with Jaden Ivey still a question that will get answered this season.
The Pistons clearly view Thompson as a foundational player along with Cade Cunningham, and I doubt he’ll have to wait long to get the extension he’ll eligible for next summer.
If Thompson can make an offensive leap to go along with his defense, he’ll be on the path to the All-Star conversation, so the second star the Pistons need may already be on the team waiting to break out this season.