Pistons and Ausar Thompson agree to a 5-year, $155 million contract extension, sources says

The Detroit Pistons and Ausar Thompson have reached an agreement on a five-year, $155 million contract extension, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the deal had not been announced. ESPN first reported the agreement.

With a little more than a week left before training camp begins, the Pistons have not re-signed restricted free agent Jalen Duren.

Detroit drafted Thompson out of the Overtime Elite developmental program in 2023 with the No. 5 pick, and he has developed into one of the NBA's best defensive players.

Houston selected his twin brother, Amen Thompson, with the No. 4 pick, and they became the first set of twins to be selected in the top 10 in the same draft.

Ausar Thompson was on the NBA All-Defensive team last season and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting after averaging a league-high two steals per game. He is limited offensively, mostly to dunks and layups, and averaged 9.9 points a game last season and 9.6 points a game over his three-year career.

Duren was selected No. 13 overall out of Memphis in 2022 by Charlotte, and the Pistons acquired him in a draft-night trade. Duren became a first-time All-Star last season and the 6-foot-10 center earned a spot on the All-NBA third team, averaging nearly 20 points and more than 10 rebounds a game. His offensive production in the playoffs dipped dramatically to 10.2 points per game.

The Pistons won an Eastern Conference-high 60 games last season, finishing first in the Central Division and advancing in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. They were routed by Cleveland in Game 7 of their second-round series.

While some teams in the East made major moves this offseason, Detroit did not add much to its young team and lost two key players.

The Pistons acquired Isaiah Joe in a trade with Oklahoma City to add a desperately needed 3-point shooter and signed veteran forward John Collins to a three-year, $51 million contract. They lost third-leading scorer Tobias Harris in free agency to San Antonio and traded Isaiah Stewart to Memphis.