Ausar Thompson plans to take a more aggressive approach on the offensive end this season and become a more well-rounded player, he told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

“One thing a lot of people say is sometimes if you’re too unselfish, you’re being selfish,” the Pistons’ wing said. “I feel like that’s an adjustment for myself because I can go get it on a smaller guy, or attack a mismatch, but I see someone who might not even have as much of an advantage as me and pass it. Not to be too unselfish, because that’s being selfish. I could help the team by going at that person.”

Thompson rarely took a 3-pointer last season but he can still be a versatile threat in other ways.

“More form, technique focus,” he said. “Because it’s not just shooting. I’m not just working on shooting. I’m working on getting to the middy, pulling up, getting to the cup, all that. Some days I’m lighter, there will be shots but not necessarily a direct number on it.”

However, Thompson knows why he was signed to a five-year, $155MM extension. He made the All-Defensive First Team last season and wants to be a fixture on it.

“Individually, defensive first team. I don’t hope that happens, I expect it,” Thompson said. “That’s something that happened last year. And for the team, how we play hard, how we play together, we move the ball. I expect a lot of ball movement, body movement and a lot of easy points and defenses not being able to keep up with us.”

Here’s more on the Pistons:

• Cade Cunningham feels that public perception of the team doesn’t match reality. Even though the franchise won 60 games to lead the Eastern Conference last season, he feels the club is underappreciated, he told Sankofa. “Maybe the public sees us differently, but believe it or not I’ve always felt like a contender,” he said. “My rookie year, I thought I was going to come in and take us to the Eastern Conference finals, you know? I’ve always felt that way about myself, I feel that way now. The public perspective on us, I think there’s still a lot of doubt on us. I don’t think people think we’re going to do anything this year, as far as the noise that I’ve been hearing. It is what it is, I really don’t care. I’m just excited to go do what I do and help my team win.”
• Cunningham is capable of being in the Most Valuable Player discussion once again but needs to cut down on his turnovers, Coty M. Davis of the Detroit News opines. Davis notes that most of his issues stem from his high usage but he’s still prone to reckless moments, leading to careless turnovers. In the postseason, Cunningham led the league in turnovers at 5.6 per game among teams that reached at least the second round.
• They have signed a contract with digital sports entertainment platform DAZN to be their exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming partner beginning this season, according to a team press release. The Spot – Detroit 20 was previously announced as their over-the-air broadcast partner for this season.