Shams: Hornets’ Miller, Pistons’ Thompson Discussing Extensions

“You look at the rest of the class, the No. 2 pick, (Hornets forward) Brandon Miller, and then the No. 5 pick, (Pistons forward) Ausar Thompson,” Charania said. “They’re both in active conversations with their teams. I’m told there is optimism with an Ausar Thompson extension in Detroit.

“And then I would also keep an eye on (Thunder guard) Cason Wallace, (Warriors guard) Brandin Podziemski, (Bucks forward) Jaime Jaquez. … But I would look at both Brandon Miller and Ausar Thompson to have more and more conversations with their respective teams — the Hornets and the Pistons — in the upcoming days and weeks.”

After Charania first brought up Miller and Thompson being in contract talks, ESPN’s video production crew put up a screen showing both of those promising young wings as well as several other notable players who have yet to sign an extension this offseason, including Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers), Anthony Black (Magic), Wallace, Dereck Lively II (Mavericks), Jaquez and Podziemski.

For what it’s worth, Charania didn’t share any intel about Henderson, Black or Lively. It seemed as if Charania might have been a little surprised to see them listed, but I wouldn’t read much into that one way or another.

Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in July that he had talked with Miller and his representation about a potential extension, but declined to go into more detail beyond saying the team hoped to sign the former Alabama star to a long-term deal. Miller is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon spoke glowingly of Thompson in May, and a report at the start of September indicated that the two sides have been discussing a new deal. Still, this is the first time we’ve seen someone say there’s optimism about an extension being reached.