NBA Free Agency: Detroit Pistons And Jalen Duren Still At Odds In Contract Negotiation

Ever since free agency opened up in the NBA after the draft was complete, the Detroit Pistons have kept re-signing All-Star Jalen Duren as their top priority and agenda item for the offseason, but that does not mean it has been smooth sailing in the Motor City regarding those contract discussions. To the contrary, the relationship between Duren and the Pistons has grown a bit more tenuous the longer that he remains unsigned, and the dialogue between the two sides has reportedly taken a turn for the worse in recent days. 

After making the All-NBA Third Team, Duren is eligible for a max or a super-max deal if he is able to work out such an agreement with the Pistons, but it seems to be a foregone conclusion that Detroit is unwilling to sign the big man to a contract of that stature. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season, which is comparable to the top centers across the league, but his production took a stark decline in the playoffs over a two-round period that has hurt his value. 

According to Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes, Duren and his representation are considering the possibility that he may have to accept the qualifying offer in order to leverage a scenario where the Memphis product can finagle his way out of the Motor City earlier than expected. Now, Haynes is not implying that Duren would prefer to go down that road. To the contrary, that arrangement would be a worst-case scenario for the big man, but it is a possibility that has become more real over the last couple weeks. 

“If he takes that offer, he really wants out,” Haynes said. “Like, he is fed up. He is fed up, wants out and believes [in] himself. He doesn’t want to be there. Even if that’s the case, I would say do not do that.”

Duren has not yet reached that point, but Haynes made it clear that if JD chooses that option, it would be a poison pill for his future with the Pistons. Even though Detroit has the monetary flexibility to ink Duren to a very lucrative deal, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon is steadfast in his pursuit of locking up the center on a deal that still gives Detroit financial mobility to go out and make more deals during the offseason. Duren, on the other hand, is looking to command a yearly salary greater than $35 million, and that is the crux of his status as a restricted free agent. 

”So, the other thing is because obviously they are both far apart on terms, both Detroit and Jalen Duren, you can do a shorter-term type of a deal that can get you close to the money you want and get you out sooner than later, back to the free agent market,” Haynes said. “So, people may say, ‘why would Detroit do that?’ Well, Jalen could threaten to take that qualifying offer in order to get Detroit to allow him to do maybe a one-and-one deal, maybe a two-and-one deal. Jalen Green did that in Houston a few years back. So, the problem in restricted free agency is that it tends to get ugly, and it tends to go long deep into the summer.”

As Haynes laid out, there are pre-existing examples where restricted free agents are at odds with the organization, and those financial disputes ultimately create a pathway for that player— or in this case, Duren— to explore their options with another team for their next chapter. 

Right now, Duren is only 22 years old and will not turn 23 until the regular season is already underway, so the very real possibility exists that JD can continue developing and adding pieces to his game. And since he already made the All-Star team and was an All-NBA Third Team selection, any improvement to his current body of work would give the Pistons a young, dominant center who is locked up long-term if they can convince the big man to stick around. 

Now, there is no guarantee that Duren would want to stick around if these contract negotiations continue to be a sticking point throughout the summer. Duren has remained on the market already for longer than many would have expected, especially after Langdon said he looks forward to reaching a deal with Duren’s representation back in May, so the next couple weeks will be a crucial time for both parties. 

If the Pistons can reach an agreement with Duren sooner rather than later, the relationship between the two sides can still be salvaged. But if this lucrative tug-of-war stretches into August, then there may be too much contention for Duren to continue his career in Detroit with a smile on his face. 

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