The Detroit Pistons are still working hard in an attempt to sign Jalen Duren to a long-term contract before training camp opens up later this month
After months and months of deliberation, the Detroit Pistons have still been unable to sign 22-year old All-Star center Jalen Duren to a long-term extension, but there is optimism that his restricted free agency may end soon.
Just days after inking Ausar Thompson to a five-year, $155 million rookie scale extension, the Pistons are back in the negotiating room with Duren. Up to this point, Detroit has been in discussions with JD for a long-term deal in the ballpark of $35-38 million per season, but Shams Charania just reported that there’s a new contract on the table which would compensate the big man to the tune of $40 million each year.
With the Pistons reportedly upping their offer to $200 million for the All-NBA Third Teamer over five seasons, Duren has an offer that he should take a very close look at. A yearly salary of $40 million would make JD a top 10 center in the NBA in terms of who’s the highest paid, which feels about right after his major productivity drop off in the playoffs.
But even more intriguing than just the new number is that the perceived rift between Duren and the organization stretches back to last offseason when the two sides were unable to agree on a rookie scale extension. At the time, both Duren and Jaden Ivey were eligible for new deals, but Detroit opted to let the players prove their value during the 2025-26 season. Duren did just that, while Ivey was traded at the deadline to the Chicago Bulls.
”Overall throughout this offseason, both of these sides have been at an impasse where Jalen Duren, when you talk to people close to him, feels a certain way towards the Pistons respect level for him,” Charania said. “For him, it’s been all about respect. For the team, it’s just been about business, but this all started 12 months ago when Jalen Duren was extension eligible just like Ausar Thompson is now, and he was offered $20 million on a take-it-or-leave-it deal. That started this kind of thread line of disrespect that he feels like he has had from the Pistons.”
Last season, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as Cade Cunningham peppered the big man with looks coming out of the screen-and-roll set. Duren boosted his free throw rate by 7% during his fourth season as a pro and ended up finishing in second place for the Most Improved Player award.
As a whole, Duren is a talented big man with still a little room to grow, but his slump in the postseason came at the absolute worst time with a contract negotiation waiting on the other side. But if Duren had performed at a higher level in just a few of their round two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, then a Pistons trip to the Eastern Conference Finals (or perhaps NBA Finals) would have created a much different narrative around his restricted free agency. In truth, Duren would have likely commanded a lot more money at that stage as well, so the Pistons would be doing a bit of quality business if they’re able to sign JD to a five-year deal worth $200 million when it’s all said and done.
