Detroit Pistons Shut Down Two Players for Remainder of Season
In the final weeks of the regular season, the Detroit Pistons will be without two key rotation players. The team announced Wednesday afternoon that Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart have been shut down.
Thompson has been sidelined due to a blood clot. While he won't be playing in games, the former lottery pick is still cleared for conditioning and non-contact basketball activities. He is expected to ramp up over the summer to be ready for next season.
As for Stewart, he'll miss the rest of the year due to a hamstring injury. This occurred during the Pistons' matchup with the Bostons Celtics on Monday night.
With this news, Thompson's rookie year has officially come to an end. The young forward had a promising first season, showcasing his all-around game on a nightly basis. Thompson finished the year with averages of 8.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 1.1 SPG.
Between injuries and suspension, Stewart will post his lowest games played in a season for his career (46). He finishes the year averaging 10.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG. The 22-year-old did have his best shooting season, converting 38.3% of his threes on nearly four attempts per game.
Now down two starters, Monty Williams will have to go deeper into his bench to close out the season. One player who should see and uptick in playing time is Simone Fontecchio. Since coming over to Detroit at the trade deadline, the young forward has put up the best numbers of his career.
Detroit has also already begun bringing in reinforcements. On Wednesday morning, the Pistons signed forward Chimezie Metu to a 10-day contract.
