Ausar Thompson, Pistons agree to five-year contract extension

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Sep 18, 2026

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DETROIT — At the end of the 2025-26 campaign, basketball operations president Trajan Langdon said the goal was to build around the Detroit Pistons' three core players — Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson — now and in the future.

The Pistons have locked up two of the three players to build sustainable success, with Thompson agreeing to a five-year, $155 million rookie-scale contract extension on Friday, a source confirmed to The Detroit News.

The deal is fully guaranteed with no option terms. Thompson's extension comes following a career year in which he finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (first) and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (second).

Thompson has established himself as arguably the league's best perimeter defender. He led the league in steals, averaging two per game, with 146 total steals last season. He also recorded 69 blocks and averaged 5.7 rebounds over 73 games. On offense, Thompson averaged 9.9 points on 52.5% shooting from the field.

Thompson played an essential role in helping the Pistons put together their best season in nearly two decades. They finished with 60 regular-season wins and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2008. In 14 postseason games, Thompson averaged 8.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, two steals and 1.8 blocks.

The Pistons originally drafted Thompson with the No. 5 pick of the 2023 NBA draft, one spot after the Houston Rockets took his twin brother Amen Thompson. Amen received a five-year, $208 million extension from the Rockets on Sept. 3.

With Ausar Thompson secured in a long-term deal, the Pistons now have two of their three core players committed for the future. Cunningham agreed to a five-year rookie max extension in July 2024.

Only Duren has yet to agree to a long-term deal with the franchise, and the ongoing contract dispute has left the future of Detroit's star big man unclear. Duren's All-NBA and All-Star season has put him in line for a rookie-max extension worth $287 million.

However, as media day and training camp approach in less than two weeks, reports suggest Duren could return to the Pistons on a one-year qualifying offer worth $9.6 million. The possibility comes amid his displeasure with the Pistons' five-year offer, projected at $195 million.