Lakers Injury Update Could Offer Positive Sign for Detroit Pistons

Lakers center Christian Koloko dealt with a similar setback as Ausar Thompson.

Feb 26, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) warms up as the New York Knicks are introduced before a game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers received great news on the injury front. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team’s center, Christian Koloko, has been medically cleared by the NBA, allowing him to begin practicing with the team as early as this week.

Koloko dealt with an unfortunate blood cot issue, similar to Detroit Pistons sophomore Ausar Thompson.

During his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors, Koloko appeared in 58 games. He would miss the entire 2023-2024 NBA season to recover from his setback. Fortunately, the young veteran will get his opportunity to return to the court to make his debut soon enough.

At this point, Thompson is still waiting on clearance from the league. The last time JB Bickerstaff offered an update on the former fifth-overall pick, he made it clear that Thompson’s recovery timeline is in the hands of the league—and didn’t have a target date for a return to offer.

Feb 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The last time the Pistons saw Thompson on the court was March 9 during the 2023-2024 NBA season. Thompson checked in for 11 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks. The following game, the Pistons hosted the Charlotte Hornets. Thompson did not dress.

Detroit went on to play their final 19-game stretch with Thompson out of the mix. While there was hope he could return for training camp, that wasn’t the case.

Thompson was around to continue working on his game in a very limited capacity. The sophomore wing was spotted working on his jump shot numerous times following practices.

At this point, the Pistons have gone through preseason and four regular season games without the small forward in the mix. Although Thompson hasn’t had a chance to practice under Bickerstaff yet, it’s likely he’ll have a role when he does return to action.

Last year, Thompson appeared in 63 games for the Pistons. Seeing the court for an average of 25 minutes per game, Thompson produced nine points on 48 percent shooting from the field. Despite his long-range shooting remaining a concern, Thompson proved he could still score in other ways—and be a significant presence on the defensive end of the floor.

On the glass, Thompson averaged six rebounds per game. He also snatched one steal and blocked one shot per outing. He quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s top emerging wing defenders.

Koloko and Thompson's recovery timelines won't match as both situations could be different, but the return of the Laker is a possible positive sign of what's to come for Detroit.