2 Detroit Pistons Players Listed Inactive Before Pacers Matchup

The Detroit Pistons won't have at least two players suiting up against the Pacers.

Feb 22, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) dribbles the ball while Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

On Monday afternoon, the NBA announced that all 30 teams have set their opening night rosters for the 2024-2025 NBA season. The Detroit Pistons have two players listed as inactive heading into the opener against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

To no surprise, the Pistons don’t plan to have the second-year wing Ausar Thompson on board for some time. As the former fifth-overall pick works his way back after dealing with blood clots, the Pistons are waiting for clearance from the NBA.

Heading into the preseason finale last week, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff made it clear Thompson still doesn’t have a target return date in place.

"It's unfortunate that he had to go through this,” Bickerstaff told reporters last week. “…He wants to be a part of the team."

During his rookie effort, Thompson’s defense shined bright. The 21-year-old’s defensive value translated well from the Overtime Elite program and to the pros. Offensively, Thompson’s still a work in progress after he shot just 19 percent from three on nearly two attempts per game.

Despite the three-point struggles, Thompson still averaged nine points per game on 48 percent shooting. As he works his way back onto the floor, Thompson has been spotted getting up shots and working on his long-range shooting. He’ll continue to workout in a limited capacity.

In addition to Thompson, the Pistons will be without the rookie Bobi Klintman to begin the year. The second-round pick started dealing with a calf injury a couple of weeks ago. While he was initially viewed as day-to-day, with a 1-2 day timeline for a re-evaluation, Klintman hasn’t practiced or played in a game since missing the team’s open practice ahead of the preseason opener.

With Klintman sitting out for the entire preseason, he’ll have a hard time stating a solid case to earn minutes once he gets back. The fact that he’ll miss the start of the regular season makes his situation even more difficult. The Pistons are intrigued by their 2024 second-round pick, but it might be a while before they see him on the court outside of his Summer League sessions back in July.