Las Vegas — Detroit Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson didn’t have a stellar debut in the NBA Summer League.
That might depend on who’s judging.
He was 1-of-4 from the field and finished with seven points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks in Saturday’s win over the Orlando Magic.
Maybe not spectacular, but solid, nonetheless.
In Sunday’s second game at Thomas & Mack Center, Thompson again was steady, with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists against the Houston Rockets. Again, very solid, and not spectacular to the level of Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey, who each finished with a double-double.
The Pistons seemingly got what they were looking for with Thompson, whom they selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft last month. There were only a couple of exclamation marks available in the draft, with Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller at the top of that list.
It’s not about home runs, but the Pistons may have gotten a solid hit with Thompson, the 6-foot-7 wing who has shown some solid ball-handling skills and an ability to facilitate the offense without getting sped up or flustered.
Where Wembanyama and Miller have been criticized for their inauspicious starts, Thompson excelled on the defensive end, which was his calling card in entering the draft from Overtime Elite, a developmental league that helps young players get to the NBA.
The offensive numbers for Thompson have been good, given that Thompson wasn’t known for being a high-production offensive player. He does many other things well, including staying within his skill set and without trying to do too much.
“I think that’s part of the reason why we liked him and we drafted him. He did a good job of staying within himself and staying within the confines of the offense, making solid, winning necessary plays,” Pistons Summer League coach Jarrett Jack said. “He was able to do that in spurts tonight. He had a good dose of playing against a high-level wing, in Jabari Smith, Jr.”
Although Smith finished with 38 points in 33 minutes, it’s worth noting that Smith was the No. 3 overall pick last season and has been the best player in Summer League overall. It’s just small steps for Thompson in his journey and a big test against a bigger player is good for his growth.
“I’ve been a little encouraged, but I don’t feel like I’ve given my best performances yet,” Thompson said. “Still could have had more effort and learn my rotations a little better.”
Finding his zone
If it’s the offensive production that’s trailing behind a little bit, that shouldn’t be a concern. In all likelihood, Thompson won’t be called upon to be a bulk scorer like Bojan Bogdanovic or Cade Cunningham in the starting group, or even Alec Burks among the reserves.
Thompson, 20, still has plenty of work to do to sharpen his offensive game, but on the defensive end, he’s already showing signs that he can make an immediate impact with the Pistons when the season starts.
At 6-foot-7, he can defend several positions on the floor, and with the ability to facilitate the offense (4.5 assists per game), he can provide some positional versatility that can help in several spots on the court.
His addition, along with Duren’s (23 points and 10 rebounds) and Ivey’s (22 points and 10 assists) contributions, point to a young core that can make a big jump next season. It’s part of the internal improvement that the Pistons are counting on from their players that will buoy their hopes in the standings.
Thompson was mostly quiet on the court, but one play led to a big exclamation mark.
With Duren leading the break, a pass ahead to Thompson found him ahead of the play, and Thompson dished back to Wiseman for a thunderous dunk.
“I feel like our bigs can run, especially Duren. Duren pushes the break sometimes and is a good passer too and unselfish and Wiseman is a big guy and he gets a bucket,” Thompson said. “We talk a lot and they kind of tell me where they’re going to be, so I try to look for them.”
That unselfish attitude will carry well for Thompson as he looks to make more noise in his rookie season.
Twitter.com/detnewsRodBeard