Over the offseason, the Detroit Pistons parted ways with Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart, which has prompted Ausar Thompson to become a more communicative player
Now that the Detroit Pistons have officially started training camp, the Central Division group is looking to develop chemistry after a summer filled with offseason transition.
The Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart during the offseason, who held the mantle as the longest-tenured player in the organization, then Tobias Harris signed with the San Antonio Spurs shortly thereafter. Though Harris’ second stint in the Motor City only lasted two years, the 15-year veteran was valued for his experience and leadership on top of the mid-range contributions that he made each game.
Detroit still needs time to adjust to these offseason transactions, but that’s why training camp is such a crucial period for this iteration of the Pistons. Without those vets on the court, players like Ausar Thompson have had to become more assertive from a communication standpoint to make sure the team stays connective, and that should continue all throughout the pre-season.
”Those two guys were probably our most vocal people, so I feel like this summer I’ve taken a huge step in being more vocal, whether that’s on defense,” Thompson said at Media Day. “Stew was kind of the anchor on defense, especially talk-wise. So, me making First-Team last year, this year I stepped in and said I have to be loud on defense. I have to control it, and offense I have to do the same thing.”
Though Stewart was not a regular starter for the Pistons last year, the big man brought an even larger presence in the paint as a rim defender who was fearless at the bucket. Though Thompson has a slightly different profile as a perimeter defender at the point-of-attack who can effectively roam for help-side defense, the fourth-year pro is looking to take a page out of Stewart’s book moving forward.
While Stewart was a defensive asset down low, he also helped keep the team together from a camaraderie standpoint. Details like that are invisible on the stat sheet but play a large role in how an 82-game season unfolds, which Thompson saw firsthand during his first three seasons in the league.
But with Stewart on the Memphis Grizzlies, Thompson aims to build on his own All-Defensive First Team season as the go-to stopper for the Pistons. When the end-of-year awards came out, Thompson finished in third place for the Defensive Player of the Year title, so there is still room to grow for the Overtime Elite product.
During the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers worked to take Thompson out of the defensive equation by refusing to run offensive sets to his side of the court. While that strategy was partially effective, Thompson still turned in a generational stocks performance in the first two rounds of the postseason, but that’s a counter that he expects to go up against more often this season as teams adjust to his defensive ability and versatility.
That’s part of what the Pistons will work on during training camp before facing the Phoenix Suns on Monday, Oct. 5 for their pre-season opener.
