Ausar Thompson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Lillard, Middleton, Mathurin, Pistons, Caruso

November 9th, 2023 at 7:25pm CST by Rory Maher

While there’s no indication that it’s a serious injury, Bucks guard Damian Lillard was ruled out of Thursday’s matchup with Indiana due to right calf soreness, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It’s the second game of a back-to-back for both teams, Owczarski notes.

In all likelihood, the Bucks are just being cautious with their major offseason acquisition. However, Lillard missed several games last season with a pair of right calf strains, so he does have a history of injuries in that area.

Cameron Payne received the starting nod at point guard with Lillard out.

On a more positive note, forward Khris Middleton returned to action after missing Wednesday’s game due to right knee injury management, Owczarski adds. Middleton continues to ramp up his activity following offseason knee surgery.

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After an impressive debut season which saw him earn a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, Bennedict Mathurin had been struggling — on both ends of the court — with the adjustment of being a full-time starter in 2023/24, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. But the Pacers guard snapped out of his slump in Wednesday’s victory over Utah, recording 22 points (on 9-of-18 shooting), nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes. “I thought this was probably Benn’s best game in two years,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “People want to see him shoot a bunch of shots and score a bunch of points, but that isn’t necessarily what wins. What wins is being a part of a system, doing your job within a system, taking the right shots within a system, running to the corner when your job is to run to the corner and making simple plays. I thought tonight he took some major steps.”
The Pistons started the season strong, going 2-1 and looking much improved after being the worst team in the NBA last season. However, they have since lost six straight games amid a tough schedule to sit with a 2-7 record. Turnovers, injuries and excessive fouls have been the main culprits for the losing streak, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Still, there have been bright spots, with the strong play of rookies Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser particularly noteworthy, Edwards writes. And there’s reason to believe Detroit could start turning its close losses into wins if it gets some of its veteran shooters back healthy and fixes some of its preventable mistakes, says Langlois.
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times argues the Bulls should insert Alex Caruso into the starting lineup, writing that the All-Defensive First Team guard can help mitigate the defensive lapses of the team’s “big three” while providing value on both ends of the court. “A hard worker who is going to do all he can for his teammates,” Suns star Kevin Durant said of Caruso. “That stuff right there (he does) makes up for a lot of mistakes. He’s a phenomenal player. I don’t want to even call him a role player; he’s a guy you can plug with any lineup and he will make the right reads and right plays on the defensive and offensive side and the Bulls are lucky to have him.” Chicago is being cautious with Caruso due to his all-out play-style, but Cowley thinks the Bulls need to make a change to right the ship after a 3-6 start.

Pistons Notes: Bogdanovic, Morris, Hayes, Umude, Predictions, Thompson

October 23rd, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bojan Bogdanovic (right calf soreness) and Monte Morris (lower back tightness) won’t play in the Pistons’ opener in Miami on Wednesday, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

Bogdanovic’s absence will alter the lineup, as he’s penciled as the starting small forward. Morris, acquired from Washington in a trade, is expected to play a key role off the bench.

Killian Hayes, who has been dealing with a left knee sprain, practiced in full on Sunday after missing Friday’s preseason finale. He might fill in for Bogdanovic in the starting lineup.

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Detroit converted Stanley Umude to a two-way contract on Monday and it was a popular move in the locker room, Sankofa tweets in a video link. “That was probably the best part. seeing how happy they were for me. .. seeing that they knew how hard I worked for it,” Umude said.
Will the Pistons make a trade packaging multiple players? That’s one of the predictions James Edwards III of The Athletic makes, among nine others, regarding this season. Edwards also believes Ausar Thompson will be a All-Rookie First Team selection.
Expanding on that topic, coach Monty Williams marvels at how Thompson has an uncanny ability to snatch rebounds, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. “Some of the rebounds he comes up with, I mean, you catch yourself on the bench, like, ‘Did you see that?’ ” Williams said. “I think there’s some stat about since Summer League, he’s gotten eight-plus rebounds every time he steps on the floor.”

Central Notes: Bulls, Cavs, Thompson, Pacers

October 17th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

The starting lineup has received more attention this fall, but the Bulls are also still determining which players will make up their closing lineup, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. While it seems safe to assume that Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, at least, will be part of those groups, head coach Billy Donovan suggested that different end-of-game scenarios might call for different looks.

“We have a lot of guys that can finish in certain situations,” Donovan said. “Theoretically, you’re up by five points with maybe 20 seconds to go, maybe you decide to go all defense in that situation. The last five minutes of the game, based on who the other team has out there, maybe we feel we have guys that have guarded a guy particularly well. So I do feel we have some versatility certainly defensively, to play a number of guys closing a game.”

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The Cavaliers‘ starting lineup on Monday – in a game its five regular starters sat – could provide a glimpse at what the team’s second unit will look like when the season begins, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Damian Jones made up the team’s replacement starting five, with Georges Niang and Emoni Bates as the first two players off the bench.
Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson, whose defensive ability may earn him a starting job, relishes the idea of becoming the club’s perimeter stopper, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “That’s the most exciting thing for me, that they trust me to go out and guard those guys,” Thompson said after matching up with Devin Booker and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Detroit’s first two preseason games. “I’ve always believed those are the guys I want and now those are the guys who are going to make me better and learn more.”
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle pushed back on Monday against the idea that his starting lineup is settled, telling reporters that Bruce Brown, Bennedict Mathurin, and Obi Toppin need reps alongside Tyrese Haliburton before any final decisions are made, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton missed the Pacers’ first two preseason games, but looked good as part of the new-look starting five on Monday vs. Atlanta, expressing enthusiasm about the pace that Indiana’s tentative starters can play with. “With Obi and Benn and Bruce, those are guys that can really get up and down the floor,” Haliburton said. “… As long as we get stops and rebound, not many people are going to beat us up and down the floor.”

Central Notes: LaVine, White, Ivey, Sasser, Pacers

October 16th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bulls guard Zach LaVine is optimistic about his health heading into the season, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. LaVine was being held out of several early back-to-backs last season, including the season opener against the Heat.

Outside of Lonzo Ball, this might be the healthiest the Bulls have been since Arturas Karnisovas assembled the core of the roster in 2021, Cowley writes. Now, LaVine and others are aiming for an improved season.

“I’m in shape; I’m not rehabbing, so you’re not second-guessing things,” LaVine said. “I feel like myself, like I did from December on. I had a full offseason. It’s always good to come into camp in shape and not have any extra ailments.”

LaVine averaged 26 points on 50.7% shooting after December 2 compared to 20.9 points on 40.9% shooting before that point last season, as Cowley notes.

Cowley also writes the Bulls are still experimenting with what works for them in head coach Billy Donovan‘s new-look offense, including potential lineups. All indications are Coby White won the starting point guard position over Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter, Cowley adds.

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Pistons coach Monty Williams faces several difficult decisions as the season draws near, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes. Edwards predicts the starting lineup to be Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, with Jaden Ivey notably coming off the bench. Edwards points out Ivey hasn’t started in the preseason yet and Thompson has impressed on the defensive end, which has been an emphasis for Detroit.
Rookie guard Marcus Sasser is pushing for a rotation spot with his play in the preseason, per Edwards and Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press. Sasser had 17 points and eight assists in an October 12 preseason game against the Thunder. “He’s a guy that plays with a great edge,” Williams said. “He competes every single day, in practice. He understands with me that if you compete and defend, you’ll find yourself on the floor. That’s what you’re seeing with him.“
Pacers rookie Ben Sheppard is making an impact in the preseason and saw run with the second unit in the team’s Monday preseason game against the Hawks, Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar details. “Sheppard is playing a mature game for a rookie,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He is older. He did play four years [of college basketball at Belmont] and it shows. But he understands what we need of him. … He’s a little bit like Buddy [Hield]. He’s doing a lot of good things.” Dopirak also notes Jalen Smith and T.J. McConnell are standing out and pushing for rotation spots.

Pistons Notes: Thompson, Hayes, Bagley, Livers

October 9th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson looked worthy of being a starter in his first preseason game, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The 20-year-old small forward replaced Jaden Ivey in the starting lineup for Sunday’s overtime loss to Phoenix and posted 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. He also drew a tough defensive assignment, guarding Devin Booker for most of the afternoon.

Coach Monty Williams was impressed by what he saw from Thompson, but pointed out areas where he needs to improve.

“He’s got to play with force all game,” Williams said. “I thought there were times when he thought he was in position, and I got to show him on the film that if he sprinted to the spot and used his athletic ability to shift out as opposed to walking to the backside of the defense … he’s going to be much better.”

Ivey had an efficient game off the bench, scoring 15 points while shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 3-for-6 beyond the arc. Williams told reporters not to read too much into Sunday’s lineup decision, but Edwards observes that Thompson and Ivey will likely compete for the final starting spot once Bojan Bogdanovic returns from a right calf strain that kept him out Sunday.

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Killian Hayes followed up a strong camp with an impressive performance in the preseason opener, Edwards adds. The fourth-year guard, who will be competing for minutes in a crowded backcourt, registered 13 points, seven assists and five steals in 21 minutes. Monte Morris didn’t play Sunday due to injury, and Hayes took advantage of the chance to show Williams that he’s deserving of a spot in the rotation.
Sunday’s game didn’t do anything to clear up the rotation in the frontcourt, notes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Before starting center Jalen Duren sprained his right ankle in the first half, James Wiseman was the only big man to come off the bench. After the intermission, Marvin Bagley III scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes. “He just came in and played with a great deal of force,” Williams said of Bagley. “His dives were productive. He wasn’t putting the ball down in traffic. Defensively, I thought he did a much better job calling out screening actions which helped our guards out. For him to sit over there and come in and have an effect says a lot about his mindset and discipline to stay locked in.”
Isaiah Livers is likely to see regular minutes when he returns from his sprained ankle, Edwards states in a mailbag column. He notes that Lively can handle either forward spot, and Williams seemed impressed with him before the injury.

Central Notes: Lillard, Griffin, Morris, Thompson, Ball

October 6th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Point guard Damian Lillard is beginning to find his niche with the Bucks, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. While Lillard plans to do “a lot of listening” as he grows accustomed to a new environment, he says he’s already giving the younger players advice.

“I’ve just been coming in, introducing myself,” he said. “And I’m interacting with different guys so they can see, I’m not on ‘superstar time.’ And I think as I earn the respect of my teammates and everybody else, they respect what I say after that.

“But if something comes up that I’ve had (experience with), or something that I’ve, that I recognize is what’s in the best interest, I’m not afraid to be the person to say it. I’m not a guy that is going to hold back or second-guess what I have to say because I know that what I have to say comes from a good place at all time.”

New head coach Adrian Griffin is making an imprint as well, according to Goodwill, particularly on the defensive end.

“One of the messages to the team, if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready,” Griffin said. “We want to be physical now so when the playoffs come you don’t have to be you know, talk about this good physical that’s gonna be part of our DNA.”

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Pistons guard Monte Morris, who was acquired from Washington in the offseason, says he’s embracing the opportunity to become a vocal leader for a young Detroit team, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “That’s going to be a good challenge for me because it’s going to be one of the first times in my career where that’s going to be something they’re going to be looking for from me,” Morris said. “To be a voice. With my resume and the experience I have been able to have in my career so far – being me, playing the right way, bring energy, trying to be as consistent as possible every day. Have fun with it. But (being) vocal is going to be my biggest challenge. I’m ready for it.”
Head coach Monty Williams believes No. 5 overall pick Ausar Thompson has a chance to make an immediate impact for the Pistons, as Langlois tweets. “We think he’s going to be phenomenal and we think he’s going to be an integral part of our team,” Williams said. “And there’s a chance that could happen right away.”
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball hasn’t played since January 2021 and will miss the entire 2023/24 season following a third knee surgery. However, he’s optimistic that he’ll return to an NBA court in the future, he tells Jamal Collier of ESPN. “After the other surgeries, this one has definitely gone the best as far as (the) recovery process,” Ball said. “The last two rehab processes I had, I was getting better and then it just hit a standstill and it started going down. And I haven’t hit that yet.”

Pistons Notes: Stewart, Bagley, Wiseman, Livers, Thompson

October 5th, 2023 at 11:27am CST by Arthur Hill

It didn’t take long for new Pistons coach Monty Williams to identify Isaiah Stewart as one of his team leaders, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Stewart appears to be locked in as Detroit’s starting power forward heading into his fourth season. He is one of the team’s top defenders, and Williams believes his teammates respond to his approach to the game.

“It’s his character, it’s his toughness, but more importantly he works, and guys respect work,” Williams said. “In this culture, when you walk into this gym and you’re not working, you stand out. And he leads it. He and Jalen (Duren) have led the charge. Those guys are on the floor every day together getting sweat equity in, and it sends a message to the team.”

Stewart will see time at center as well as power forward this season, and he’s working to improve his jump shot so he can help to space the floor. The front office showed its belief in Stewart this summer by giving him a rookie scale extension worth up to $64MM, and Sankofa notes that he’s the only one of the team’s three first-round picks from 2020 to be extended.

“It made sense for us,” general manager Troy Weaver said of the new contract. “You always want to have a player or players on the team who are symbols for what you want to be about, and he’s that on and off the floor. Who he is as a person and what he brings to practice, what he brings as a teammate.”

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With Stewart and Duren projected as starters, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman are competing for one rotation role in the frontcourt, Sankofa adds in a separate story. Both are former No. 2 overall picks who weren’t able to find success with their original teams, and the Pistons were willing to give them a second chance when they became available. Williams called it a “tough spot” for Bagley and Wiseman because they both have the talent to succeed. “Bags has a body of work. Wise is still young and learning,” Williams said. “They both have enough ability to command that spot. We’re just going to wait and see who steps up and takes it.”
Isaiah Livers was in the competition for power forward minutes before suffering a sprained ankle that will cause him to miss six to eight weeks, according to James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The rotation that Williams uses to start the season will likely be adjusted when Livers returns.
Williams’ emphasis on defense gives rookie Ausar Thompson a chance to earn a starting spot, adds Edwards, who observes that Thompson may already be the team’s top defender. Bojan Bogdanovic and Jaden Ivey are at the greatest risk of being replaced, but Edwards notes that moving either to the bench would take scoring punch away from the starting lineup.

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Thompson, Pacers, Vucevic

October 3rd, 2023 at 9:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers have taken note of the blockbuster additions made by Milwaukee and Boston. They remain firm in their belief that they’re ready to join the Eastern Conference’s elite, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveleland Plain Dealer.

“I feel like we’re right there,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I think obviously with Milwaukee adding Damian Lillard, who is one of the best guards to play this game, on top of having Giannis, who is one of the best players, it makes it tougher for sure. And then adding Jrue Holiday to an already stacked Celtics team makes it tougher. But at the end of the day, we have high hopes. We continue to have high goals and a high ceiling.”

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Could the Pistons insert lottery pick Ausar Thompson into the starting lineup ahead of several veteran options? It’s a possibility, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. The wing’s defensive prowess and willingness to do the little things has impressed his teammates. “He plays winning basketball,” Cade Cunningham said. “He plays super hard. He connects the floor very well. His play-making ability is something I feel like should be talked about more. He’s a willing passer. He’s able to read the floor really well. Obviously, the way he gets after it on the defensive end is what’s going to make him a huge impact on Day 1.”
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle says it’s time for the franchise to “take competitive steps,” Akeem Glaspie of the Indianapolis Star relays. “We anticipate a highly, highly competitive camp,” Carlisle said. “We’ve spent two solid years in a true development mode. We’re going to keep an eye on development, but we’re looking to take competitive steps. We had a meeting with the guys last night, we told them to expect it to be hard and to embrace it being hard. For us to make strides, we’re going to have to do a lot of the little things. We’re gonna have to do it in the margins, we’re gonna have to be very, very together like we were last year.”
Nikola Vucevic had discussions with coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls front office regarding his offensive role prior to his decision to sign an extension, he told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Yeah, there was a lot of discussions about that,’’ Vucevic said. “That was a big thing for me. A lot of stuff we talked about was more with Billy because he’s the head coach and he’s the one that makes those decisions. But it was finding ways to utilize me more. Not so much only for me shooting the ball and scoring but using my play-making ability to help the team in different ways.’’

Eastern Notes: Collins, Thompson, Antetokounmpo, Love

September 18th, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

John Collins, who was dealt to the Jazz this summer, posted a farewell message on Instagram to the city of Atlanta, Hawks fans, teammates, and the organization. His message to the franchise included mixed feelings, thanking it on one hand while also saying his growth was being “stunted.”

“Thank you for sticking with me, even at my lowest,” Collins wrote. “Thank you for allowing me a place to grow. But as I see, it is this hawk’s time to fly away from the nest. As my growth here is being stunted.”

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Ausar Thompson, the Pistons’ lottery pick, could be anything from a starter to out of the rotation in his rookie campaign, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. His 3-point shot is the main concern but he has enough attributes to complement the starting backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey by employing his defense on the opposition’s top perimeter play-maker. Thompson could also be a force on the second unit with a number of proven perimeter shooters around him, Langlois notes.
Bucks fans don’t want to think about it, but what if Giannis Antetokounmpo eventually demands a trade? HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan looks at potential landing spots for the two-time MVP, with the Knicks, Thunder and Pelicans topping his list due to their surplus of assets.
Kevin Love could take over the role of sage veteran on the Heat‘s bench, which Udonis Haslem filled in recent seasons, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines. Like Haslem, Love is a player with championship pedigree and he’s already served as a mentor inside the Heat locker room. Love could especially be helpful in the development of young forward Nikola Jovic, Winderman adds.

Eastern Notes: Thompson, Petrusev, Sixers’ Camp, Jovic

September 11th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have veteran options at small forward in Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Harris. However, The Athletic’s James Edwards III believes lottery pick Ausar Thompson could jump right into the starting lineup.

Thompson looks like the best defensive option at the position and general manager Troy Weaver has made defensive improvement a priority, according to Edwards, who adds that the Pistons’ new staff might want to establish a defensive tone, then sprinkle in its perimeter shooters.

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Sixers big man Filip Petrusev averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game during the World Cup, helping Serbia to its surprising silver medal performance. Petrusev is now looking forward to his first NBA season, George Efkarpides of Eurohoops.net writes. “This is a motivation maybe to just keep working,” he said. Philadelphia signed the draft-and-stash prospect in July.
The first Sixers training camp under Nick Nurse will begin far away from Philadelphia, according to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. They’ll be at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. from Oct. 3-6. Whether James Harden is still on the team or shows up for camp remains up in the air.
Nikola Jovic excelled during the World Cup but Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel doubts that will alter the Heat‘s willingness to include him in a potential Damian Lillard trade. He’s not even certain of a rotation spot this upcoming season, Winderman notes, so unless the team’s brass and coaching staff projects him as the team’s power forward of the future or a potential All-Star talent, they won’t hesitate to move him for a proven star.