For Ausar Thompson, the offensive jump the Pistons are looking for doesn’t start at the 3-point line. It starts in the middle of the floor, where one preseason game offered a much clearer path to a bigger role.
Thompson has spent most of his career under a harsh spotlight because of his shooting, and especially because of his 3-point work. He’s at just 20 percent from deep for his career. But the first exhibition was a reminder that his value can grow in other places, and fast.
What stood out most was how much more assertive he looked with the ball. Thompson played with purpose, made quicker decisions, and showed he can do damage as a creator. He got downhill several times, worked off screens, and on one early possession forced the defense to collapse before setting up an easy lob to John Collins.
Then came the part that really popped: Thompson stepped into three mid-range pull-ups and buried all of them. He looked comfortable taking them, too.
That shot could be the key. Defenders don’t guard the mid-range with the same urgency they used to, which gives Thompson a chance to punish them if he can hit that look consistently.
Once opponents have to respect it, they can’t just sit back and dare him to shoot. That opens the door for easier drives to the rim, and it could also help ease some of the spacing problems that come with Duren if defenders can’t sag off as freely.
There was more to like beyond the pull-ups. Thompson also showed touch and creativity from the elbow after setting a screen and rolling into the short area, a spot that usually opens up for smart decision-makers. The source of the optimism is obvious: if he had made better use of that area in last year’s playoffs, the outcome might have been different.
Still, this is just the first preseason game, and the road from promising flashes to real offensive growth won’t be smooth. Thompson has to keep making fast reads and stay away from the kind of dribbling into traffic that caused problems at times last season. That matters even more for a Pistons team that has had turnover issues and needs him to protect the ball if he’s going to handle more of it.
JB Bickerstaff said it plainly, and the preseason showing backed it up: if Thompson makes a leap, the team will too. It could even reduce the need to chase another star at the trade deadline if the Pistons can find that creation and secondary scoring internally.
And the best part for Detroit? Thompson doesn’t need to become a 3-point shooter to make that happen.
With the Pistons already improving their outside shooting, the bigger swing is secondary creation. That’s where Thompson’s next step can really matter.
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The early setback in Memphis only sharpens the reason the Pistons were willing to move on. Detroit had concerns about whether Stewarts approach could survive the grind of a deep postseason push, and the new chapter opened with another reminder that durability is part of the evaluation. For a player whose edge has always been tied to his strength and activity, the bigger question now is whether that same identity can stay on the floor when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Trade That Felt Empty Suddenly Has Something To Prove
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One of the names worth tracking is Ebuka Okorie, a pick-swap selection who has flashed promise in preseason and given the front office at least a reason to keep watching. Kevin Huerter is also in the mix after getting through offseason surgery and looking ready to help as a versatile bench option, giving the Pistons a healthier, more experienced piece to lean on as they try to squeeze something tangible out of a trade that has not yet paid off in the obvious way. [Read more 🡒]
John Collins Already Brought An Edge Pistons Fans Will Notice
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Brooks later disputed the technical, while Collins made it clear he is ready for the kind of physical battles that come with an NBA season. For Detroit, that matters as much as the call itself. The Pistons are still sorting out how much toughness and bite they can consistently bring, and Collins already showed he is not going to shy away from that side of the game. [Read more 🡒]