Pistons forward Ausar Thompson’s promising rookie season has come to an end. Thompson will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season while being treated for a blood clot, the team announced on Wednesday.
According to the Pistons, the 21-year-old has been cleared to resume conditioning and will begin non-contact basketball activities at the conclusion of the regular season with a gradual ramp-up over the summer months in preparation for a full return next season.
Thompson’s rookie season will end with him averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest.
In addition, the team announced that center Isaiah Stewart will miss the remainder of the season with a right hamstring strain suffered during the third quarter of Monday’s loss at Boston against the Celtics.
This season, the 22-year-old averaged 10.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. Last offseason, the third-year center signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension.
Detroit (12-56) host the Pacers (38-31) on Wednesday night.
Pistons sign Metu to 10-day contract
Pistons also announced that the team signed forward/center Chimezie Metu to a 10-day contract.
Metu, 6-9, 225, is a five-year NBA veteran and has appeared in 246 career games (31 starts) for San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix. The No. 49 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Metu holds career averages of 5.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.4 blocks in 12.8 minutes per game. The 26-year-old appeared in 37 games (five starts) for the Phoenix Suns this season and averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 12.1 minutes.
On Thursday, the NBA announced that Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended three games without pay for initiating a physical altercation with Phoenix Suns forward-center Drew Eubanks on Feb. 14 before a game between the Pistons and Suns at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
According to the NBA, Stewart, who was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault in Phoenix but ultimately had the charge dismissed, punched and pushed Eubanks during the altercation.
Stewart, who had missed the last eight games with an ankle injury, will begin serving his suspension with the next NBA regular-season game he is eligible and physically able to play, which is expected to be Thursday night’s game between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers.
This season, in 35 games, the 22-year-old Stewart is averaging 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
The Detroit Pistons will be without the services of forward/center Isaiah Stewart for at least the next 10-14 days due to a right toe sprain, the team announced on Friday.
During the next two weeks, Stewart is expected to rest and rehab his toe, which will be re-evaluated periodically, and updates will be provided as appropriate, according to the team.
According to the Pistons, Stewart suffered the injury during the team’s game against Philadelphia on December 15, and he had been playing to pain tolerance since the injury was initially sustained and missed Thursday night’s game at Boston.
This season, in 28 games, the 22-year-old is averaging 10.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest.
The Pistons, who are on a 28-game losing, host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.
The Detroit Pistons value F/C Isaiah Stewart, and on Tuesday, they announced that they had given him an extension.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says it’s a four-year, $64 million rookie contract extension.
Interestingly enough, according to Woj, this is the Pistons’ first rookie extension since owner Tom Gores purchased the franchise in 2011 and the first for the organization since Jason Maxiell in 2008.
Last season, the 22-year-old appeared in 50 games (47 starts) with the Pistons, his third in the NBA, and averaged 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. He set career highs in points per game, assists per game, and 3-point field goals per game in 2022-23.
Drafted 16th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Stewart was named to the 2021 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after leading all rookies with 453 rebounds and 86 total blocks. He was also named to the 2022 NBA Rising Stars game for All-Star weekend in Cleveland.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Stewart has appeared in 189 regular season games (132 starts), averaging 9.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 24.8 minutes while shooting 50.1% from the field in three seasons with the Pistons.
Stewart is a player on the rise and a building block for Monty Williams and the Pistons as they try to improve their roster.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart will miss the team’s west coast road trip after being diagnosed with a sprained right big toe.
Stewart left the second quarter of Monday’s game against Toronto and, according to the team, will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.
According to the Pistons, testing conducted by team doctors following the game diagnosed the injury as a sprain of the right big toe.
In 10 games this season, Stewart is averaging 12.0 and 9.3 rebounds per contest.
The Pistons return to action on Thursday night in Los Angeles against the Clippers.
