Two weeks after his twin brother Amen signed a five-year extension of his own with Houston, Ausar Thompson has followed suit, agreeing to a five-year, $155 million extension with the Detroit Pistons. The deal makes the Thompson twins the first pair of brothers in NBA history to each land a $100 million contract.

The timing is notable, coming amid Detroit’s ongoing standoff with restricted free agent center Jalen Duren. With this situation dragging out and remaining unresolved, the Pistons’ move to lock in one of their other core pieces became even more critical.

Since Detroit selected him fifth overall in the 2023 draft, Thompson has built a name for himself as one of the league’s premier defenders, and his versatility on that end has been central to the Pistons’ rise back into relevance.

He was a First Team All-Defense selection last season and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, backing up his growing reputation as one of the top defensive players in basketball. The 23-year-old averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks across 72 games last season as Detroit far exceeded expectations. They finished first in the East at 60-22 before bowing out in a hard-fought seven-game second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

His offense remains a different story though. Thompson is a career 20.4 percent three-point shooter, the clear weak spot in an otherwise complete game, and closing that gap is arguably the single biggest swing factor for Detroit’s championship hopes. It has become nearly impossible to play non-shooters deep into the postseason these days, and a reliable jumper would let him stay on the floor no matter the situation.

Thompson’s defense alone justifies his minutes, but even a modest improvement as a shooter would send his overall value soaring. He played just 26 minutes a night last season, a number that could easily climb into the mid-30s if defenses are forced to respect his shot. If he can get there an All-Star nod starts to look realistic–underscoring how good he already is defensively.

The Duren situation could end up working in Thompson’s favor too. Both players struggle from the perimeter, which has made it awkward for Detroit to play them together for long stretches. If Duren ultimately moves on, the Pistons could pursue a center with more shooting range, freeing Thompson up to be the one who roams closer to the basket in an era that has pulled off-ball offensive players further away from the paint.

Thompson is still young, and there’s every reason to believe he can eventually figure out his jumper. Alongside Duren and Cade Cunningham, he’s one of the players most responsible for Detroit’s turnaround, and he will likely help determine just how high this team’s ceiling really is. This extension is not just a vote of confidence in what Thompson has already become, but it’s also a bet on how much further he can still grow.