The Pistons are hoping Ausar Thompson can do more with the ball next season, but that kind of leap can come with a price. The cautionary tale is right there in Houston with his twin brother, Amen Thompson. When the Rockets leaned harder on Amen for offense, his defense lost a little of the edge that had made him such a force the year before.
That doesn’t mean Amen suddenly stopped being a problem for opponents. His offensive growth was enough to help Houston justify a huge extension this offseason. But the nonstop defensive chaos he brought as a second-year player wasn’t quite as constant once he had more on his plate as a scorer and playmaker.
In the 2024-25 season, Amen averaged 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while playing about 32 minutes per contest. That level of activity helped Houston finish 2nd in the West and earned him a 5th-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Last season, though, his defensive numbers slipped to 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in 37 minutes per contest, and he also led the league in total minutes.
That’s the balancing act Detroit is staring at with Ausar. He posted 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game last season in 26 minutes per contest, and his defense was a massive part of why the Pistons had such a dominant regular season.
He could erase star perimeter scorers and still show up as back-side help at the rim. But the Pistons also traded away their second-best defender last season, Isaiah Stewart, which puts even more pressure on Ausar to hold the line.
The upside is obvious. Amen’s offensive jump, even with a slight dip on defense, was real enough to matter.
With no true point guards on the Rockets roster for the whole season, he still managed 18 points and 5 assists per game. He also finished 3rd in the NBA in total points in the paint, a remarkable number for a 6'7" wing operating in a guard role.
That’s the version of growth Detroit would love to see from Ausar. Cade Cunningham would benefit from not carrying so much of the offensive burden, and the Pistons would get a more balanced attack. The challenge is figuring out where the line is between useful aggression and losing what makes Ausar special.
He’s still very young, so there’s room for him to get better on both ends. But last season’s defense was already elite for a wing, and he finished 3rd in DPOY voting.
Realistically, a dip on that side next season seems likely if his offense takes the next step. The Pistons can live with that, as long as the drop isn’t too steep.
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Why The Pistons Finally Moved On From Isaiah Stewart
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Detroit now has to make the same defensive intensity work without him, and the early answer is to spread that responsibility around. Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland II, Javonte Green and Paul Reed are among the players expected to help fill the gap, giving the Pistons a different look while they try to preserve the edge Stewart provided without the baggage that came with it. [Read more 🡒]