November grades for the plummeting Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons grades for November

Forwards: D+

Ausar Thompson: 14 GP, 12.3 PTS, 50 FG%, 11.1 3P%, 8.9 REB, 2.6 AST, 1.3 STL, 1.4 BLK, 2 TO

Joe Harris: 3 GP, 6.3 PTS, 41.2 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 2 REB, 1 AST, .3 STL, 0 BLK, .3 TO

Marvin Bagley III: 13 GP, 10.2 PTS, 56.3 FG%, 0 3P%, 4.8 REB, 1.3 AST, .1 STL, .8 BLK, 1.5 TO

Bojan Bogdanovic: N/A

As much work Cade Cunningham is doing for the guards, Ausar is doing for the forwards. A full month now into the season, Ausar is everything that was promised, and more. Thompson puts on a clinic of highlight plays on a nightly basis, and the rest of the team could learn a thing or two from his defense. The only knock on the rookie is his shooting from deep. His 11 percent from three is truly horrendous, but that was no secret when he was drafted. Unfortunately for the Pistons, and for Ausar, he is being forced into taking the second-most shots on the roster simply because there is no one else. Having Ausar on the court, but not the first or second option offensively is truly the sweet spot for the 20-year-old. That’s just not possible at the time being.

Marvin Bagley III was a pleasant surprise to start the season for me. Obviously, it was an extremely small sample size, but Bagley was averaging almost 12 points per night, on 67 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from deep. His numbers have declined as November progressed, and he inot saving this roster. But, lined up alongside a defensive-minded wing like Ausar, the two could become a decent pairing. Monty Williams, however, decided that he needs to see more of James Wiseman, at the expense of Bagley. Hopefully, the Wiseman experiment is almost complete. More on that in a minute.

For what it’s worth, Bojan Bogdanovic is slated to make his debut against the Cavaliers on Saturday. Hopefully, his addition is like a tide that raises all ships in next month’s grades.