Wild Ausar Thompson prediction would be a deal the Pistons can't screw up

The Detroit Pistons have huge financial decisions to make this summer when it comes to Jalen Duren’s next contract and Ausar Thompson’s potential extension. 

The Pistons could choose to extend Thompson early to avoid restricted free agency, but he’s a tough player to gauge as one of the best defenders in the league who still has a limited offensive game. 

Bleacher Report took a stab at what Thompson could get this summer, predicting a contract extension of four years and $79 million. 

If that deal is on the table, the Pistons would be smart to take it, otherwise they could end up in the same position they are in with Duren right now, which is regretting not signing him when they had the chance. 

Will the Jalen Duren blunder be repeated with Ausar Thompson? 

The Pistons were unable to come to an extension agreement with Jalen Duren last summer, a blunder which will cost them dearly. 

Duren is now an All-Star, could make the All-NBA team and is certainly going to get a much larger raise than the one he would have gotten last summer, when it was reported he wanted something in the $30 million per season range. 

That looks like a pipe dream now, and it’s far more likely Duren ends up with something closer to a max deal. The big man bet on himself and won. 

The Pistons can’t make the same mistake with Ausar Thompson. 

The Pistons should sign Ausar Thompson before his next leap 

Ausar Thompson is still limited offensively and is not a good shooter, which is something the Pistons should use to their advantage to get a cheaper deal. 

I would bet large sums of money and maybe a couple of my toes that Thompson is going to blow up even more next season and add to his offensive bag. If he does, whatever contract extension he signed this summer would look like a bargain. 

If Detroit can get Ausar in the range of $20 million a season, that will end up being one of the best contracts in the league, as the guy is already arguably the league’s best perimeter defender. That alone would be worth four years and $79 million. 

There are some disadvantages and risks to extending Ausar early, but those risks are small compared to waiting like they did with Duren. The Pistons can’t afford to pay three different players upwards of $40 million per season, and if Thompson had a similar breakout to Duren next year, that’s what they’d be looking at. 

The Pistons’ payroll is about to get more expensive, but if they can offset that by getting a team-friendly deal on Ausar Thompson, Detroit would be crazy not to do it.