Pistons, Ausar Thompson reportedly agree to five-year, $155 million contract extension

Detroit and Ausar Thompson have agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year, $155 million contract extension, news first broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other reports.

Thompson is one of the NBA's elite perimeter defenders and was named First Team All-Defense last season, while averaging 9.9 points per game and starting 73 games for a 60-win team. He averaged a league-leading two steals a game plus nearly one blocked shot a night. The Pistons see Thompson as a core part of their future (some would argue more critical than Duren) and getting him locked down at this price is a good deal.

That said, a contract averaging $31 million a season is a bet on Thompson's offensive game — especially his outside shot (25% from 3-point range last season, and that was an improvement) — taking some steps forward. Right now, Thompson is considered a non-shooter and that can clog the offense at times, even though the Pistons were an impressive +7.5 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the court last season.