Pistons center Jalen Duren's play this postseason got him mentioned in the same breath as Wilt Chamberlain. Usually, that's a good thing for an NBA player. That wasn't the case for Duren.

The All-Star (and likely All-NBA) big man averaged 19.5 points per game this season, but suffered a brutal playoff meltdown that saw his scoring plummet to just 10.2 points. Duren's drop-off from regular season to postseason scoring was the largest by an All-Star since 1962, when Chamberlain dipped from 50.4 points per game to only 35.0 in the playoffs.

Detroit reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals this spring for the first time since 2008, but Duren was a notable no-show on the East's No. 1 seed. The Pistons needed a 3-1 comeback to defeat the Magic before falling to the Cavaliers in seven games. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham's co-star was consistently unreliable in the biggest moments.

To make matters even worse, Duren's struggles on both ends of the floor came right before the 22-year-old hits restricted free agency. With his stock at an all-time low, could the Chicago Bulls take a swing at the young center?

Prior to the playoffs, I don't think there was a question that the Pistons would re-sign Duren to a max extension, maybe even a supermax if he is named to an All-NBA team. That would put Detroit in a tough spot financially, but coming off a 60-win season in which Cunningham and Duren proved to be one of the best duos in the league, the team wouldn't really have had a choice.

Now, the Pistons have a decision to make. Duren's collapse was so drastic that Detroit has to wonder if a 5-year, $247.5 million supermax contract (or 5-year, $206.25 million max contract if he doesn't make an All-NBA team) would be the kiss of death for a young team looking to win sustainably and maximize Cunningham's prime.

Opting not to re-sign Duren — or dealing him elsewhere in a Sign-and-Trade — could give the Pistons more flexibility to find a different co-star if they believe the playoffs were a sign of things to come.

Bryson Graham has been clear that the Chicago Bulls are entering a rebuild. The team values draft picks, youth and development. So why, then, would Graham spend a significant amount of money on an All-Star center in free agency?

Duren is still only 22 years old, and prior to the playoff nightmare, he was rapidly improving. The former No. 13 overall pick in 2022 nearly doubled his scoring output in 2025-26 — shooting 65.0% from the floor — while adding 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. He was dominant as a lob threat and the NBA's best roll man in pick-and-roll points per possession this season. That's not to mention what Duren does on the other end of the floor either, in which he finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, Duren fits Graham's SLAP acronym with size, length, athleticism and physicality. He fills a major positional need at the 5, could unlock Josh Giddey's potential as a playmaker and would allow Matas Buzelis and the Bulls' No. 4 overall draft pick (assuming Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer) to match up with smaller defenders.

This summer's NBA Draft is expected to feature Yaxel Lendeborg (born Sep. 2002) in the top 14 picks, who is more than a year older than Duren (Nov. 2003). Players like Aday Mara (Apr. 2005) and Cameron Carr (Nov. 2004) are also projected to be drafted in the top half of the first round, around where the Bulls are selecting at No. 15 overall.

Duren has already proven that he is a starting-caliber center in the league. Given the All-NBA upside that he has already shown, it would make no sense for Chicago to prioritize a riskier draft pick who is nearly the same age as Duren if the opportunity presents itself.

The only difference between Duren and those players would be the cost. He'd certainly be a lot more expensive, but the Bulls have the cap space.

Rebuilds are about to look a lot different for NBA teams, thanks to even more flattened lottery odds. A franchise that finishes with the 10th-worst record will have the exact same odds of winning the lottery as the team with the fourth-worst record, and the teams that lose in the Play-In Tournament will have the same odds as the teams with the three worst records in the league.

Bottoming out is no longer the best way to ensure you get a top collegiate prospect in the draft. That could be beneficial for the Bulls, who have talent on their roster.

Adding a 22-year-old center in Jalen Duren allows Chicago to still keep the same rebuild timeline. During the upcoming season, Buzelis will turn 22, Giddey will turn 24, Leonard Miller will turn 23, Rob Dillingham will turn 22 and Noa Essengue will turn 20. The Bulls' likely No. 4 overall pick will either be 20 years old (Wilson) or 19 (Boozer) in July.

The acquisition also helps Chicago evaluate its two franchise cornerstones. Buzelis is extension-eligible next summer, while Giddey has yet to prove his game contributes to wins instead of empty stats. Duren should theoretically make each of their lives easier on the court.

All of this could come to naught if Detroit decides to bite the bullet and hope that his postseason play was just a blip, rather than a glimpse into the future. But if Duren does somehow become available, Graham should not hesitate to pounce.