Offensive Outlook: Keeping Ausar Involved
November 1st 2023 | By Bryce Hollins
As the roster stands today, the Detroit Pistons young core currently possesses a unique mixture of potential high-level creators, processors, and athletes at all positions.
While General Manager Troy Weaver hasn’t been 100% consistent in his approach, over the last few NBA Drafts he has done an exceptional job at selecting high-feel, high-character athletes. Ausar Thompson is the most recent in line.
Ausar’s way of basketball can be best described as a ball of clay waiting to be formed to best fit those around him. He can lead the offense one possession, back-cut his defender off the ball the next, and even work as a screener later in the game. Whatever it takes to contribute to the team's success, Ausar will do it and adapt.
While Ausar showed much of what he is capable of, in both the present and potentially what it may look like in the future, some of the concerns fans voiced about the “fit” between the current young core have also been apparent.
While a large portion of these struggles can be chalked up to a general lack of experience and chemistry between teammates, some may continue further into the regular season and even further beyond.
However, even without a perfect fit on paper, basketball is played on hardwood, and there are plenty of avenues available for current AND future success with the current iteration of the core.
On-Ball Reps
If you include Ausar, the Detroit Pistons have drafted four straight guards with their highest draft pick, all of whom are still on the roster. Each of them has their individual pecking order when it comes to on-ball reps, but all of them are deserving of opportunity regardless.
Cade Cunningham will naturally demand the majority of these on-ball reps while playing alongside the starters. While in the starting lineup, Killian Hayes has had his fair share of opportunities to run the show to allow Cade to operate off-ball. With Jaden Ivey off the bench as a sixth man, he will command plenty of on-ball creation opportunities with the second unit.
With Ausar among the five starters, things become a little more complicated. Early this season, Ausar has been pegged into a mostly off-ball scorer and connector role. However, he has been given a few primary creator reps in the half-court offense from time to time, all leading to mixed results.
While this role plays directly into Ausar’s current strengths, his ceiling is determined by the offensive load he will be able to handle at the peak of his career.
With flashes of pick-and-roll craft, the ability to break down his defender, get paint touches, or create his own shot, Ausar has shown some of the star potential that some evaluators donned on him as a prospect, though the idea is mostly theoretical at this point of his career.
His handle is still quite loose, his jump shot is still a work in progress, and his finishing at the rim is always an adventure, for better and for worse. Overall his offensive scoring aggressiveness in general isn’t nearly at the level it needs to be, but you can see the foundation.
Even though Ausar has shown that he may be capable of handling primary initiator reps down the line, it may be wise to keep him in a more simplified role as he acclimates to NBA basketball.
Importance of Off-Ball Movement
While doing practically whatever was asked of him offensively during his time with OTE, Ausar’s last season in the league in particular he spent a lot of his time off the ball. This allowed his twin brother Amen to soak up a majority of the ball-handling responsibilities, which has been the case during his short time in Detroit.
Ausar comes into the NBA as one of the most athletic players from day one, and should immediately be able to find success offensively by cutting off the ball. From back cuts, 45 cuts, stampede cuts, and more, Ausar has more than proven he is capable of playing alongside high-level creators.
For mostly non-shooting off-ball players, finding and attacking space is essential in keeping your defender honest. Opposing defenses have become exceptional at closing driving lanes with tags from wing defenders and help from the corners leaving little space for ball handlers to operate inside the arc.
One way to counter this is by constant off-ball movement.
When facing NBA-level defenses, in order to be properly effective, off-ball movement needs to be fast and intentional. Simply meandering from one position on the court to another with no true purpose, not only won't fool anyone, it can and will actively muddy up and hurt the offense. Also, too much standing around makes it even easier on the defense.
However, off-ball movement doesn’t exactly have a defined black-and-white guide that shows exactly when to backcut your defender or shift down to the corner. These are things players learn over time, with continued experience reading individual defenders and defensive schemes.
Constant moving and cutting are imperative in successful NBA offenses because of the opportunities a well-timed cut can provide, not only for the cutter but for the rest of the offense as well.
While the most recognizable form of off-ball movement is a basic cut leading to a score for the cutter, the majority of cuts and off-ball movement shift defenses to help create passing and driving lanes for the team’s on-ball creators.
With Cade Cunningham, Monte Morris, and Jaden Ivey likely soaking up a majority of the teams’ on-ball reps, and all being strong downhill scoring and playmaking threats, opposing defenses will be forced to help and tag on their drives, leaving space for Ausar to attack without the ball.
From back cuts, 45 cuts, UCLA cuts, and more, there is a multitude of different off-ball actions teams can incorporate into their offenses. Each is unique in its own right, but all serve a similar purpose, either to score or to shift defenses. This skill and understanding is what sets Ausar apart from many other top prospects.
Keeping Ausar Involved
If the Pistons plan to utilize Ausar in a primarily off-ball role offensively, it is imperative they find ways to keep him involved on that side of the floor. However, as mentioned earlier in the article, Ausar can contribute in a multitude of ways within the flow of the offense without having the ball in his hands, but there needs to be a plan.
Throughout this season it will be interesting to see how Head Coach Monty Williams and Assistant Coach Stephen Silas plan to continue to incorporate Ausar into the offense. While cutting and transition will likely be the most common ways to keep Ausar involved, using him and a screener has also proven to be effective.
At a listed 6’ 7”, 215 pounds, and one of the most absurd athletes to walk this earth, Ausar is a prominent roll/lob threat from day one. He also is a high-level passer who can excel in making decisions out of the short roll, kicking out to shooters. Just a few NBA games into his NBA career and he is already showing this versatility.
Where Ausar will truly make his money offensively is in transition. Ausar’s combination of athleticism, ball handling, and feel already shines in the open court. Coupled with his impressive rebounding, the ability to soar well above the rim and finish over a defense or pass to open shooters and cutters running the lane, Ausar can become a premier grab-and-go player and putback threat in the league.
Ausar Thomspson is such an intriguing prospect for a lot of reasons. Of course, his defense and athleticism are the first traits to pop off the screen when watching game tape, but his intelligence and overall feel are also quite apparent.
While there are still quite a few obstacles yet to be cleared offensively for Ausar, the Pistons are in a position where they can be patient and further develop him in a more ancillary role alongside the rest of the young core. What the Pistons need to avoid is stringing multiple possessions together where Ausar not only doesn’t touch the ball but isn’t even involved in the action. So far Coach Monty has done a great job of being creative with sets to circumnavigate Ausar’s current lack of shooting gravity.
Ausar won’t have the pressure of being guarded by primary defenders or being the focal point of opposing game plans. He won’t be relied on to create shots for himself and teammates like some other top-five picks might. For now, Ausar just needs to play a role and hoop while allowing his primary skills to develop over time.
Though it is far too early to put any definite claims on the outcomes of any rookie's NBA career, as things stand, it's becoming increasingly evident that Ausar's versatility knows no bounds, and he has the potential to make meaningful contributions on both sides of the ball, across a wide array of positions and roles.
Through only just a few months into his professional career, it’s clear to see that Ausar Thompson can help a team win. That will only become more obvious over time.