The SCARY TRUTH About Ausar Thompson and the Detroit Pistons!

The SCARY TRUTH About Ausar Thompson and the Detroit Pistons!

Detroit basketball. Guys, the Pistons are coming off one of the greatest turnarounds in recent NBA history. Last year, they improved their win total by so many games and they put themselves squarely in the Eastern Conference playoff mix. That series against the Knicks was awesome. And now this year, the East is wide open as we head into the upcoming season. And of course, we’re all going to be following Jaylen Duran’s continued development, Jaden Ivy’s return from injury. Will Kade Cunningham take another leap? But I think the biggest swing factor just might be Assar Thompson. Welcome everybody. My name is Troy and this is the Halfcore Report. Be sure you click that thumbs up button and subscribe for some of the best NBA content that you’re going to find on YouTube. So guys, let’s talk about Assar Thompson because he may hold the key to the Pistons ceiling. In just his first couple of seasons, he’s already flashed elite wing defense, transition speed, and offball activity. But his game remains raw. There’s so much more room for improvement. The handle could be tighter. The jumper is still a work in progress and defenses don’t yet respect him as a shooter. But if Thompson can take a step forward in any of those areas and especially beyond the arc, it could simply alter Detroit’s offensive spacing in a big big way. But still, even without becoming an elite shooter, simply raising his three-point percentage to the mid30s would force defenses to guard him honestly. And that would unlock drives for Kade Cunningham and Jaden Ivy. It would allow the Pistons offense a little bit more breathing room. I think if Assar even sniffs 35% from deep, Detroit could be one of the five most dangerous transition teams in the NBA because good luck stopping a fast break led by Cade with Ivy on one wing and Assar on the other. Slam Magazine and yeah, I had no idea they’re still around, but they are. They recently did a cover story on Amin and Assar Thompson. If you’ve been living under a rock, Amin is Assar’s twin who plays for the Houston Rockets. But the magazine highlighted what makes Assar so special and why he doesn’t need to reinvent himself to reach that next level. He and his brother are two of the most athletically gifted players in league history. Assar already has an elite defensive feel and excels in transition. And while fans can imagine him morphing into anything from a backup point guard to a stretch forward, his real path to stardom lies in doubling down on what he already does at a high level while gradually improving his weaknesses. Last season, in my opinion, Assar was arguably Detroit’s second best player, and he was the driving force behind their top 10 defense. The team’s defensive rating, record, and transition attack all spiked when Assar was healthy. His brother Amen is a darling among basketball fans. He was deemed untouchable in any Kevin Durant trade and he’s looking like a future all-star. The thing is though, I think Assar has just as much potential. Opportunity has been the biggest difference between the twins early careers. I think the offense that Amen plays in suits him better and that’s given him more freedom to showcase his offensive skills. Assar plays alongside Cade Cunningham, whose ability to control tempo and run the offense means positions often flow entirely through him. But that dynamic could change soon, especially with reports that Assar has been focusing on ball handling and shotmaking this off season. Defensively, he may already be one of the league’s best, even narrowly outpacing Amen’s defensive rating despite playing with a weaker cast of defenders. But I am pumped to see how Assar is going to grow with Cade next season. Kade of course is the centerpiece of the Pistons future. Fresh off an all-star season and all NBA third team selection and he cemented himself as a legit franchise cornerstone. Cade is already good enough to lead a playoff team. But here’s the twist. The Pistons ceiling might be more tied to how fully Assar Thompson blossoms over the next few seasons. His variance is far greater because his career so far has been interrupted by major setbacks. A shortened rookie year, a diminished first off season, and then the March 2024 blood clot diagnosis that sidelined him for eight months. That time away from the court affected his conditioning and stunted his development going into a sophomore season. But even so, his impact last year was undeniable. When he returned, his minutes were carefully managed, often in five or six minute bursts, but there were flashes that showed exactly what a Sar Thompson can be. In his final two playoff games, he averaged nearly 20 points, 6 and a half rebounds, and hit 13 of 17 shots, getting to the foul line 22 times. And he played suffocating defense on Jaylen Brunson. That led to Jaylen Brunson offering some pretty high praise for Assar Thompson. But alongside Jaylen Duran’s rise and Cad’s leadership, Assar’s return helped the Pistons leap from 14 to 44 wins despite Jaden Ivy’s injury. Pistons president Tjan Langden, the Alaskan assassin himself, even said that Assar is determined to be a defensive player of the year candidate this coming season. He’s adding strength. He’s working on shot creation and he’s benefiting from a full summer of development without any setbacks for the first time in his career. LeBron James himself has called the Thompson Twins quote pure athleticism and it is not an exaggeration. Assar’s ability to get to spots faster than almost anyone in the league makes him a nightmare in transition and a disruptive force defensively. If he can better absorb contact when attacking the rim and also remain balanced against help defenders, he’ll be even more effective. He doesn’t need to be a high volume three-point shooter, but increasing his attempts to even 20% of his shots from deep while hitting them at a respectable clip, that would force the defense to make tough choices they currently don’t have to do. And I know you come here for the blistering hot takes. Well, my hot take for this video, Assar’s impact for the Pistons could reach allstar level even without league average shooting if his defense remains elite and his ability to create chaos in transition keeps improving. What makes him so valuable to this roster is how perfectly he complements Detroit’s other core players. Cade thrives as the deliberate, methodical halfcourt creator. Jade Ivy brings lightning fast rim pressure and scoring bursts. Jaylen Duran owns the paint as a lob threat and rim protector. Ron Holland and Beef Stew will punch you right in the mouth if you look at him the wrong way. Assaar is the glue that holds it all together. The lock down perimeter defender, the transition finisher, the offball cutter who does not need high usage to swing games in the Pistons favor. He can be the Pistons Swiss Army knife, taking the toughest defensive assignment, sparking fast breaks, and making the extra play that turns good possessions into great ones. Put it all together, and the formula for a breakout season is clear. As Cade continues his ascent, Ivy returns at full speed, and Jaylen Durren expands his game, Assar Thompson is going to take that next step offensively while preserving his elite defense. And if those things happen, this team is capable of not just winning a playoff series, but making a legit run in the Eastern Conference. For a franchise that has spent years rebuilding, this upcoming season could be the one where everything finally clicks. And if it does, Assar Thompson won’t just be the X factor, he will be the main reason the Pistons arrive ahead of schedule. Guys, that’s what I think. Let me know in the comments what you are expecting for Assar Thompson this upcoming NBA season. Do you think he’s going to take a leap just like his brother did for Houston? I kind of think it might be in the cards. Since you’ve watched this far, make sure you drop a like for the YouTube algorithm and hit that subscribe button, too, so you never miss another NBA video from me. Another guy I’m expecting to take a leap this upcoming season is Modest Boozelis. He plays right up the road for the Chicago Bulls and this guy is getting Giannis comparisons from his teammates. Make sure you check out that video. Let me know what you think and I’ll catch you next time on the Halfcourt Report. Peace.

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