The Slow Road to Recovery
Detroit Pistons small forward Ausar Thompson continues his journey to recovery, following a significant health scare during his rookie year that led to season-ending blood clot problems. Pistons President of Basketball Operations, Trajan Langdon, revealed that Thompson is actively participating in a medical rehabilitation program, run by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.
Although Thompson feels healthy physically, he is still unsure of the timeline for his full clearance to participate in all aspects of training camp. “The decision is not ours to make,” he said, adding that there is no fixed time for his return. However, it’s worth noting that Thompson has already been given the green light to participate in non-contact drills, conditioning, and strength training.
Supporting Thompson Through His Recovery
Bobby Marks, the editor, emphasized the Pistons’ commitment to Thompson’s recovery. “We’re giving him as much support as we can and we’re eagerly awaiting a decision,” Langdon noted during the team’s media day. “We are happy with his return to the team.”
The Pistons selected Thompson, who stands at 6-foot-6, as the No.5 pick in 2023 in the Overtime Elite draft. He averaged an impressive 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over 63 games. His last game of the season was on March 9, after which the team announced that he would have to sit out the season due to blood clots.
Medical Interventions
“I’m thankful that the doctors were able to identify the issue,” said Monty Williams, former coach of the Pistons. The team previously said Thompson had been medically cleared to resume conditional and non-contact basketball activities after last season, with an expected full return for the 2024-25 season.
Pistons Rebuild Program
The Pistons, under the leadership of owner Tom Gores, are using a new rebuilding strategy this season, aiming to restore glory to a franchise that won three NBA championships but struggled with the worst record in the NBA the past two years. . The Pistons have yet to win a playoff game since their last appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008, marking their sixth straight year. Unfortunately they have finished last in the Central Division for the past four seasons.
Leadership Changes and New Additions
Langdon now runs the front office, replacing Troy Weaver, whose teams had a terrible record, winning just 23% of their games in four seasons. Now the Pistons have appointed coach JB Bickerstaff, following the decision to release Williams just one year into his six-year contract worth $78.5 million.
The team was also able to secure Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, under a $224 million, five-year contract. The Pistons added some veteran players in the offseason, including Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley, and traded for Tim Hardaway Jr. from Dallas. They also selected Ron Holland in the G League Ignite as their No. 5 pick in the NBA draft.
