Now that Jalen Duren is signed long-term, the Pistons can prepare for their first pre-season contest on Oct. 5 against the Phoenix Suns
While the rest of the basketball world was buzzing over the Detroit Pistons’ handling of the Jalen Duren situation, those in the Motor City expressed significantly less concern over the contract negotiation process.
Though Duren’s restricted free agency was a turbulent period, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff never wavered in his expected outcome, which included JD in Motown. Similarly, Cade Cunningham expressed confidence that Duren would report to training camp in due time, and both key members of the Detroit Basketball universe were proven correct in their assertions.
For Bickerstaff, the most important aspect is having their 22-year old All-Star center back in the building before the pre-season kicks off.
“Our expectation was that he was always going to be back, and we were planning accordingly,” Bickerstaff said after practice. “But to get him done, get him in the building, start the process of getting him back on the court with the group, it’s great for us.”
Last night, Duren agreed to a five-year, $200 million deal with the Pistons that’s fully guaranteed, which is a big win for the All-NBA Third-Teamer. Shortly before putting the finishing touches on that deal, the Pistons locked down Ausar Thompson to a five-year rookie scale extension, so Detroit has committed a serious chunk of change to two thirds of their core for the next half decade.
”That’s our guy,” Bickerstaff said of Duren. “He’s been our guy. We’re happy to have him back.”
Although Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon admitted that he hadn’t spoken to Duren personally all summer, the rest of the organization maintained the necessary contract and support to ensure that JD still felt welcome in the Motor City. Cunningham was frequently in Duren’s ear throughout the process, which helped the big man contextualize what he was hearing from his agent second-hand from the front office.
During that timeframe, Duren stuck to himself and worked out with trainers so that he could return to the Pistons in the best condition possible after finishing in second place for the Most Improved Player award last season.
”We did have guys and coaches going out and spending time with him, but he was working on his own,” Bickerstaff said.
To that effect, Duren averaged nearly 20 points and 11 rebounds per game on incredible efficiency while leading the NBA in paint points last year, so he’s proven to be an immensely valuable big man, especially within the constraints of the Detroit offense. Duren’s impact as a roll-man is necessary alongside Cunningham in the two-man game, but now the dynamic duo have a slew of shooters waiting on the wings to help space the floor after a rocky postseason.
”He hasn’t reached his ceiling, so there’s no reason why we wouldn’t expect him to take another step, and I know that’s what he wants to do,” Bickerstaff said.
Up to this point in his career, Duren hasn’t developed a jumper that Detroit feels comfortable enough unleashing on a regular basis, but that’s part of what he worked on during the offseason. If JD can reliably hit elbow jumpers to help combat the drop coverage he faced during the playoffs, then the Pistons offense could take another leap forward during crunch time now that Duren’s on board for the long haul.
