Ausar Thompson could turn a reasonable Pistons deal into a bad contract

As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons have to come to terms with Ausar Thompson on a five-year rookie-scale contract extension worth around $155 million, a figure that is quite significant, but predictable for the young wing all things considered.

For now, there is little harm in throwing that kind of money on Thompson, who is a major part of the franchise's present and future. That being said, given his current skill set, there is undoubtedly a huge risk the Pistons will now have to carry as they commit to him for the next five years or so.

Thompson is, without question, one of the best defensive forces in the league. He made the All-Defensive First Team this past season and even ended up ranking third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Clearly, there is absolutely nothing of concern with him with regard to his best skill, which is his defensive acuity.

It is on the more glamorous end of the court where the list of concerns with the 23-year-old grows. As he enters his fourth year in the league, he has shown little growth on offense, which limits his ceiling as a franchise cornerstone.

This past season, Ausar averaged 9.9 points and 3.1 assists in 26 minutes per outing. He shot just 20.4 percent from beyond the arc, a ghastly figure that only becomes more troubling when accounting for the fact that he attempted just one three-pointer a game on the average.

There is some promise with Thompson as a connective piece, but his individual scoring and shooting are real concerns that could end up making his new contract a massive headache for Detroit if he does not display any kind of growth on those points.

For now, the need for Ausar Thompson to be a potent offensive threat is lessened. However, as the years go by, that will change drastically. If he does not keep up as the Pistons need him to, his hefty extension will eventually not be worth it.