Ausar Thompson has finally been medically cleared to resume full 5 on 5 basketball activities after being sidelined since March due to medical conditions, that would later be diagnosed as blood clots. The Pistons have shown vast improvements thus far this year and appear to be on a much better path to success based upon on the product on the court. With that being said, the Pistons have lost 2 of their last 3 games by a combined 3 points, and fans can’t help but wonder how Ausar Thompson could have been a positive impact in their winning fortune going in the opposite direction in those games.

Offensive Impact

Based upon his rookie season it is still yet to be seen in what ways he can truly impact the offense, but what we do know is that he is an excellent offensive rebounder. Detroit is already 7th in the league in rebounding, but adding a hyper-athletic 6’5 wing with a 7 foot wingspan can only create more scoring opportunities for a team that has a multitude of volume shooters.

Elite on-ball defense, 99th percentile athlete, transition demon… Ausar Thompson’s return is everything. pic.twitter.com/BbjmsHsXXC

— Pistons Jack (@pistons_jack) November 11, 2024

Defensive Impact

On the other side of the court, the possibilities are endless as far as ways he can improve the team. Ausar comfortably becomes Detroit’s most versatile defender, as it relates to perimeter as well as interior aspects. He will aid the team in creating turnovers and converting them into transition opportunities on the other end of the court. Thompson’s presence also should alleviate some stress off an interior line of defense. While Isaiah Stewart seems to be catching his stride as a paint stopper, Jalen Duren continues to develop as a rim protector.

The Pistons can now fully evaluate the roster Trajan Langdon has composed. Detroit is currently 4-7, including only one game where they were completely blown out of the water. Now that Thompson is cleared, the team will likely start ramping up his activity in preparation for a debut. To this point we don’t know when that debut will be but I anticipate it will be very soon. The Pistons have a few tough matchups upcoming first versus the Miami Heat and next versus the Milwaukee Bucks.