Detroit Pistons spent all offseason convincing themselves that Ausar Thompson is actually the second-most valuable player on the team. It wasn't Jalen Duren that the front office had to invest in; it was Thompson. He was working on his ball-handling, playmaking, and shooting all summer. A breakout campaign was coming.
Nine games into the 2026-27 campaign, it has become clear that the breakout isn't coming. Thompson is still the same player he has always been. And Pistons fans have to stop deluding themselves about how valuable a player he is.
Pistons fans have to be realistic about Ausar Thompson's lack of development
All of Thompson's issues were on full display against the Lakers on Sunday. He was guarded by Walker Kessler the whole game, and he couldn't make the Lakers pay. He seemingly had no idea how to take advantage of this matchup. He wasn't aggressive; he didn't attack the rim, and he consistently passed up shots.
He was so bad offensively that he was limited to 24 minutes. This allowed Austin Reaves to go off for 43 points and carry the Lakers to victory.
This has been a trend throughout Thompson's career. He is probably the best perimeter defender in the NBA. But his offense is so terrible that you simply can't play him for too many minutes. You simply can't be considered an elite player if you can't play more than 27 minutes a night.
Thompson is once again below league average in efficiency. His True Shooting% has gone down to 53.3. His usage rate and scoring volume have largely stayed the same. He has the ball in his hands a little more, which has resulted in an increase in his assist and turnover numbers, but he is still the same player he was last season.
Much has been made about Thompson's inability to shoot. While this is clearly a problem, it's far from the only or the biggest issue ailing the 23-year-old. Thompson is just a massive offensive liability. He can't finish around the basket. He doesn't get to the free-throw line. He doesn't have a reliable floater. He doesn't generate any rim pressure.
He is a good transition player. He can grab offensive rebounds. He is a decent passer. He makes smart cuts around the basket. But none of this is enough for Thompson to justify the type of investment the Pistons made in him.
If Thompson is in fact the second-best player on this team, the Pistons aren't going anywhere. If he is even the third-best player, the Pistons are probably still not a realistic title contender. When was the last time any team got close to winning a title with a perimeter player as bad offensively as Thompson is? Has any team ever won a title with one of their three best players being as bad an offensive player as Thompson?
The organization and the fanbase have to be realistic about who Ausar Thompson is as a player. He either has to become a much better offensive player soon, or it's difficult to imagine the Pistons ever being a championship-caliber team with him as one of their most important players.
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