Lottery pick Ausar Thompson was one of the standouts in the Las Vegas Summer League and Pistons owner Tom Gores took notice.
“He doesn’t play like somebody that just got into the league,” Gores told Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press. “I think he’s a really smart player. Also just defensively, he’s gonna help us a lot. He had three or four blocks, and steals, he just does everything out there.”
Gores feels Thompson will blend in seamlessly with the team’s core players.
“You can tell he’s an unselfish player, very thoughtful player,” he said. “He’s very aware of who is on the court with him.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- In an interview on ESPN, Pistons general manager Troy Weaver explained why he used his cap space to trade for Joe Harris and Monte Morris rather than dipping into the free agent pool, as Mike Curtis from The Detroit News relays. “We wanted to add some shooting and some veterans to the group,” Weaver said. “Morris and Harris definitely do that. They’ll help this young core grow, and it provides some more space on the floor for our group we have. We have (Bojan) Bogdanovic and (Alec) Burks, two other veterans who can really shoot the ball, so just adding those two guys to complement our young core, we think is going to really help us.”
- Bucks general manager Jon Horst isn’t sure if 2022 first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp will be part of the rotation next season but it won’t be for a lack of trying, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski. “He’s definitely on the right direction, the right path, and he’s approaching it in absolutely the right way,” Horst said. “I think he looks great. I really do. I think he’s had a really good summer.” Beauchamp appeared in 52 games, including 11 starts, during his rookie campaign.
- Jannero Pargo is the Pacers’ Summer League coach and has aspirations to get a head coaching job in the league. “It’s a little nerve-racking for me but it was a challenge that I was up for and I really enjoyed it,” he told Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Pargo, man, that’s a bit of a throwback. Great clutch shooter, and always a hard worker with good IQ. I could see him becoming a good coach.
Using Beauchamp might be helpful not just for this year, but also for that goal of sustained success. And it’s not like there isn’t a clear path to regular minutes with Carter and Ingles gone.