On Monday, the Pistons will be required to arrive at an important decision as Oct. 20 marks the deadline for extending the rookie contracts of Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. Each in their fourth season with the team, Duren and Ivey are eligible for long-term extensions right now, otherwise the pair would enter the upcoming free agency period in Summer 2026 as restricted free agents.

Earlier in the week, NBA analyst Marc Stein reported that he is led to believe the Pistons are prepared to decline the long-term options on both Duren and Ivey, stating that neither party has made substantial progress on a new deal. But since the Pistons have not announced a final decision yet, let’s operate under the pretense that both Duren and Ivey could receive extensions tomorrow.

Which player makes the most sense to extend?

Jalen Duren

Since arriving in Detroit over three years ago, the 6-10 center out of Memphis has been a rim-shaking presence for the Pistons down low. Duren has the athleticism to protect the basket, and he takes that same explosiveness onto the fast break with him when he attacks the paint on the other end, making him one of the most efficient shot-takers in the entire NBA (69.2% from the field last season).

Over the past few years, Duren has developed a clear chemistry with Cade Cunningham, and the two work well together in the pick and roll. Cunningham is always looking Duren’s way for lob opportunities, and the Pistons may want to lock down his skill set for the long-term.

Bickerstaff: Cunningham Showing ‘Unbelievable’ Leadership In NBA’s Real Training Camp Episode Detroit star Cade Cunningham picked up a hefty compliment from his coach on the NBA’s special Pistons-themed episode.

Some reports suggest that Duren’s camp is angling for a four-year contract north of $30 million dollars per year. Now, such a financially sizable commitment would be a big decision for the Pistons, and the team may feel that Duren needs to produce more than 11 points per game before taking that step, but the athletic center has also been working on expanding his shooting range this offseason and projects to contribute more on that end, so the deal could end up working out well if he continues developing as a shooter.

Jaden Ivey

As for Ivey, the explosive guard is caught in a precarious situation because he was just coming back from a major broken leg injury and finding his rhythm this preseason before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. So, Ivey is going to be sidelined for around a month before he can return and start his fourth season in the proper sense.

Up to this point, Ivey has shown immense promise as Cunningham’s primary swingman on the break. The 6-3 speedster can handle the rock, initiate the offense and hit jumpers from distance, so the talent is already there for the Purdue product– the question is whether or not he can stay healthy.

From the Pistons point of view, Ivey may be considered too much of a health risk to commit an expensive long-term contract to, and his current injury certainly does not help the player’s bargaining position. It may be wise for Detroit to decline the option right now and to progress into the offseason with Ivey as a restricted free agent so that the team can match any offer that comes in. Ultimately, that process would allow for the Pistons to have a more complete picture of what Ivey looks like as a player, especially once he returns from his current knee injury. 

The Detroit Pistons will begin the regular season with a road game in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 22 against the Bulls at 8 pm.

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