Ausar Thompson is in need of a contract extension this summer, and how much the Detroit Pistons decide to pay him will outline what the Cade Cunningham era will look like. It’s getting harder and harder to build a cost-efficient, sustainable roster in today’s NBA. Thompson is a crucial building block, but if the Pistons overpay him, building a quality team could get difficult.
That said, Thompson is too important to lowball. The Pistons need to make sure that he’s happy, because he should be a crucial part of the Cunningham era in Detroit. His defensive abilities are otherworldly, and losing him because the Pistons failed to give him an extension he liked would be a disaster.
Detroit needs to get the Thompson extension right.
Pistons need to nail Ausar Thompson extension to maximize Cade Cunningham era
Keith Smith of Spotrac recently shared some of his thoughts on what Thompson’s extension could look like this summer, as he was detailing the potential extensions of the 2023 NBA Draft class:
“Unlike his brother, Ausar Thompson hasn’t developed as much on offense. The playmaking has improved steadily, but shooting and scoring aren’t there. Thompson is solely a dependent player on offense, who scores off cuts, in transition and second-chances. On the flip side, Thompson is every bit the defender his brother is, and arguably better. That’s going to get him paid, but the lack of offensive game means he won’t get as much as his brother will.”
He predicted that Thompson would ink a five-year, $135 million extension with the Pistons, and if that’s the number, it would be a very good deal for Detroit.
That would come out to an average annual value of $27 million. In today’s NBA, that’s not bad money for a high-level role player, which is exactly what Thopmson projects to be.
And if he develops his offensive game a bit more, then that number would only become even more of a steal for the Pistons, who will be looking to build out their roster around Cunningham.
What Smith noted makes some sense. Thompson’s lack of offensive game definitely hamstrings the Pistons at times. There were moments in the playoffs when JB Bickerstaff had to take him off the court, even though his defense was crippling Detroit’s opponent.
If he can improve on that end of the court, then whatever money he makes this summer will look like an underpay.
That said, this summer is still crucial for the Pistons. If they want to give themselves the best possible chance at winning a title with Cunningham at the helm, then they need to nail the Thompson extension.
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