Even the negatives have had silver linings for the Detroit Pistons this season.
There is nothing positive about the broken leg that sidelined Jaden Ivey (likely for the season), as he was playing well and is up for a contract extension this summer, so losing him wasn’t good for anyone.
But it did allow Ausar Thompson to move into the starting five, which may have happened eventually, but Ivey’s injury sped up the process.
This switch coincides with the Pistons taking off this season, and they have put up some impressive and shocking numbers since Ivey went down.
Detroit Pistons defensive rating
Ausar Thompson didn’t join the starting five full time until after Ivey was injured, and since that time the Pistons have had the best defensive rating in the NBA. At 110.2, they are ahead of defensive juggernaut OKC, a team looking for a title behind their defensive dominance.
The Pistons had a 115.5 defensive rating with Jaden Ivey, so Ausar Thompson has clearly made a difference on the defensive end.
This isn’t to diminish what Jaden Ivey was doing, as the Pistons certainly miss elements of his game, but their defensive identity was not established until Thompson was getting more time on the floor.
Detroit Pistons net rating
Since January 1st, the Pistons have the 3rd-best net rating in the NBA, just behind the Thunder and Cavs and ahead of championship contenders like the Celtics and Timberwolves.
The Pistons have been taking care of business in line with the best teams in the league, a solid indication that this is not a fluke and the Pistons are a team that will have to be reckoned with.
In that span, the Pistons are 24-15, and they were only 14-16 with Jaden Ivey. Again, I am not blaming Ivey, but it does bring up the question of what his role will be when he returns, as there is no doubt that the team took off once Ausar Thompson was a full-time starter.
Jaden Ivey’s role with the Pistons
We can’t take too much from this when it comes to Ivey, as we never really got to see him play with Ausar Thompson full time, so have no idea how the two will co-exist in the future.
We could see Ivey move to the bench, which wouldn’t be the worst outcome, as the Pistons need his scoring and secondary ballhandling.
But we also have to keep in mind that Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley may not even be on the roster next season, as both players are unrestricted free agents.
Swapping out THJ for Ivey seems like a win for the Pistons, as Ivey was shooting over 40 percent from long range, offers more as an offensive player, especially in transition, and isn’t much worse on defense.
In other words, this is a great problem to have, as the Pistons can regain one of their best offensive players and should have a solid defensive structure in place around him.
It would be great to see it this season, as the door is open just a crack for Ivey to return, but one thing is for certain: Ausar Thompson isn’t going anywhere and it's Ivey who will have to adjust.