The Detroit Pistons' offensive struggles have been well-documented all season. Even though they have been exceeding all expectations, the Pistons have largely won games on the back of their elite defense. If they are to have a deep postseason run, it will be thanks to Detroit being one of the league's best defensive units. Over the last couple of games, however, that defensive unit has looked more vulnerable than ever. And the biggest reason for it has been Ausar Thompson's absence.
Thompson sprained his ankle in the loss against the Spurs on Thursday. Not only did the Pistons lose that game, but they followed that up with back-to-back losses against the Nets and the Heat. Detroit is now in the midst of its worst stretch of the season, largely due to its inability to slow down opposing offenses.
Pistons Desperately Need Ausar Thompson Back
Detroit gave up 127.4 points per 100 possessions to the Spurs and 130.8 points per 100 possessions to the Heat. These two numbers are the two worst defensive ratings the Pistons had in 2026, per Cleaning the Glass. Even the 110.3 points per 100 possessions they gave up at home to tanking Brooklyn was worse than their season average.
It's not a coincidence that these came in the first set of games Thompson has missed this calendar year.
In Thompson's absence, head coach JB Bickerstaff inserted Marcus Sasser into the lineup. This move has backfired as Sasser couldn't provide much offensively. A lack of offensive production, combined with the well-known physical limitations that make him a tough defensive fit, left Detroit in a tough spot and, as a result, the Pistons lost Sasser's minutes in both games.
Going from Thompson to Sasser was always going to come with a significant defensive downgrade. Yet, the extent of the collapse on that end of the floor was unexpected for Pistons fans. Sasser's inability to contribute on offense just made his defensive issues more glaring.
This highlights how desperately the Pistons need Thompson. Yes, the team has several solid perimeter defenders like Ron Holland, Caris LeVert, and Javonte Green. But none of them provides the versatility and athleticism Thompson does. Thompson can reasonably guard all five positions, forces a ton of steals, and adds an element of unpredictable explosiveness that the others can't.
The lack of offensive improvement for Thompson has been a talking point in Detroit. He remains a limited offensive player due to his shooting struggles. He may never be a two-way star that some have envisioned when he first came into the league. But he is one of the best defensive players in the league, and the Pistons need him back on the floor.
Fortunately, Bickerstaff has referred to Thompson as "day-to-day", suggesting that the defensive stalwart should be back in action sooner rather than later. This stretch was perhaps needed to show the organization how important a player Thompson is for this season and the future of the franchise.