NBA Notes: Pistons, Ausar Thompson, Heat, Pelle Larsson, Celtics

Pistons

The Pistons have made their commitment to Ausar Thompson official.

Thompson agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year, $155 million rookie-scale extension with no player or team options, according to Shams Charania of ESPN⁠.

The deal begins in 2027-28 and averages $31 million annually.

That’s a substantial contract for someone who averaged 9.9 points last season. It also explains why evaluating Thompson through scoring alone misses almost everything that makes him valuable.

Thompson finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, earned first-team All-Defense honors and led the NBA with 2.0 steals per game. During Detroit’s playoff run, he averaged 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks.

The shooting remains the obvious concern. Thompson has made only 20.4 percent of his career threes and 60 percent of his free throws.

Still, the Pistons have consistently been better with him on the court. If Thompson ever becomes merely respectable as a shooter, the contract could become a bargain. Detroit evidently decided his defense, rebounding and playmaking already make the gamble worthwhile.

Thompson and Rockets star Amen Thompson also became the first brothers in NBA history to each sign contracts worth more than $100 million.

Meanwhile, Charania reports that the Pistons have offered restricted free agent Jalen Duren more than $190 million. Duren wants more.

Detroit has secured one cornerstone. The other negotiation sounds considerably less comfortable.

Heat

The Heat have turned another second-round pick into a significant investment.

Pelle Larsson agreed to a four-year, $60 million extension with Miami, according to Shams Charania of ESPN⁠.

The agreement includes a mutual option for 2030-31, meaning both Larsson and the Heat must approve the final season. The extension begins in 2027-28 at approximately $13.5 million and increases from there.

Larsson, selected No. 44 overall in 2024, averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season while starting 54 of his 70 appearances. He shot 49.6 percent overall, though only 32.3 percent from three.

Charania described the 25-year-old wing as a “foundational piece” who will continue holding a major rotation role.

“Foundational” may be doing some work there. But Larsson has become precisely the type of useful, physical and unselfish player Erik Spoelstra tends to trust.

The contract also projects below the non-taxpayer midlevel exception when it begins. If Larsson continues developing, $15 million per year may eventually look like ordinary rotation-player money.

Miami found him in the middle of the second round, developed him and locked him up before restricted free agency.

So, yes, the Heat are doing that thing again.

Celtics

Jayson Tatum has finally addressed his relationship with Jaylen Brown since the Celtics traded Brown to the 76ers.

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Tatum was asked about the biggest public misconception surrounding their partnership.

“For me, I love that guy,” Tatum said, via Mike Prada of The Athletic. “What we were able to accomplish together in nine years, we went to the conference finals five times, we went to the championship twice, we won a championship, we’ve shared All-Star games together. You can’t talk about him without talking about me, and vice versa.”

Tatum also acknowledged the part that ended the partnership.

“Unfortunately, the business of basketball is always going to play a part,” he said. “Nobody has ever played together forever. But it’s not a thing to be sad or upset about. It’s a thing to celebrate what we were able to do.”

The comments won’t settle every debate about whether Tatum and Brown were close friends. They should put some perspective on the relationship that mattered most.

They spent nine seasons together, repeatedly reached the conference finals and won a championship. Whatever friction may or may not have existed, the basketball partnership worked.

Now Brown plays for Philadelphia, and the two could meet in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

They can celebrate the past. They’ll still try to eliminate each other.