Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson has been cleared by the NBA's fitness-to-play panel, ESPN first reported Monday. Thompson, 21, has been sidelined since March because of a blood clot issue.
Thompson missed the last 19 games of his rookie season and has missed the Pistons' first 11 games this season. He can now ramp up his return-to-play process and take contact in practice. His return date will depend on his conditioning, per the Detroit Free Press' Omari Sankofa II.
In 2023-24, Thompson averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game. The No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft was immediately a high-level defender, a terror in transition and a heady passer.
Thompson will return to a Detroit team that looks significantly different. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has replaced Monty Williams, and the front office brought in veterans Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley in the offseason. The presence of Ron Holland II, drafted No. 5 in 2024, means that the Pistons will have a crowded rotation on the wing. Thompson's rookie season was promising enough, though, that Bickerstaff will have to figure out a way to keep him on the floor.
Detroit is 4-7 on the season. It ranks No. 14 on defense, up from No. 25 last season, and Thompson will give the team an additional boost on that end.