The Detroit Pistons are holding on to their defensive anchor. Ausar Thompson agreed to a five-year, $155 million rookie-scale contract extension on Saturday, sources confirmed to ESPN, locking him in through the 2031-32 season.
A contract built on defense
Thompson, 23, earned every dollar. In 2025-26, he led the NBA in steals per game (2.0) while earning first-team All-Defense honors and finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting – all while posting averages of 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. The extension, a rookie max, kicks in during the 2027-28 season.
Detroit’s front office made its priority clear: Thompson is a cornerstone of whatever the Pistons are building. The franchise posted one of the league’s most improved records in 2025-26 after years of rebuilding, and locking up their best defender sends a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Historic deal for the Thompson twins
The extension also carries a footnote that will outlast both their careers. Thompson and his twin brother Amen – who inked his own extension with the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason – are now the first pair of brothers in NBA history to each receive deals worth at least $100 million. Between the two of them: $363 million.
The next contract question in Detroit centers on center Jalen Duren, whose own extension window is approaching.
