After signing Ausar Thompson to a five-year deal yesterday, the Detroit Pistons need to wrap up Jalen Duren’s contract negotiations before training camp opens up
When the Detroit Pistons signed Ausar Thompson to his five-year, $155 million rookie scale extension yesterday, the team answered a large question that had been looming in the background all throughout the offseason.
Shortly after the Pistons were knocked out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, Trajan Langdon spoke about the team’s plan to attack the offseason. As the President of Basketball Operations, Langdon was set to play a pivotal role in the contract negotiations for restricted free agent Jalen Duren and Thompson as well, who was eligible to be re-upped before the start of the regular season.
By most accounts, Duren was considered the organization’s priority since he was coming off an All-NBA Third Team campaign where he finished in second-place for the Most Improved Player award. In actuality, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season while qualifying for his first All-Star selection, plus other teams across the league had the opportunity to sign the big man to an offer sheet once free agency opened up. So, there was legitimate reason to believe that his deal would be wrapped up before the team progressed to Thompson’s.
As it worked out, Thompson’s camp was easier to negotiate with, so the podium-finishing Defensive Player of the Year candidate ended up with a long-term extension before Duren’s deal could be finalized. To many, the stark delay in Duren’s deal dates back to the significant brick wall that the Memphis product ran into during the postseason. After such a productive campaign prior to that point, Duren averaged just over 10 points in round one and just below that threshold in round two. JD’s rebounding numbers took a hit at the same time, so his lasting impression on the 2025-26 campaign was an underwhelming playoff showing right before his contract negotiations began with the Pistons.
But from a more realistic viewpoint, Duren’s postseason performance was a clear indicator of why the future remains bright in the Motor City if he’s involved. As soon as Duren struggled during the playoffs, the Pistons became a less fluid team offensively and struggled to put teams away with the ease that they showed during the regular season. Duren’s output in the low post became a vital element for Detroit throughout the year, and the squad failed to operate on the same level when the fourth-year center had less space to operate within the paint.
If Duren put up his typical 20-point, 10-rebound level performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, there is a very real chance that the Pistons would have moved on to face the New York Knicks. And based on how Detroit handled the Knicks during the regular season, there is no guarantee that their postseason meeting would have gone any differently.
But with last year’s championship possibility firmly in the rear view mirror, it would be in the best interest of both the Pistons and Duren to agree on a long-term deal. JD already has four years worth of chemistry built up alongside Cade Cunningham on a defensively rigid squad that plays team-first basketball. Though Detroit might not be offering as much as the All-Star center is looking for, it’s likely a lot more than Thompson signed for yesterday, which could send a message to JD that the organization still values his contributions.
Duren has until Oct. 1 to decide whether or not to take his $9.6 million qualifying offer, so his situation will gain some distinct clarity over the next two weeks.
