The Detroit Pistons could face some stiff competition for Jalen Duren this summer coming from the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls
Heading into the offseason, it was always abundantly clear that one of the main priorities for the Detroit Pistons would be re-signing Jalen Duren to a long-term contract this summer. After four years in Motown, Duren is set to reach restricted free agency as soon as he signs a qualifying offer from the Pistons, and he’s due for a major salary boost after his All-NBA Third Team performance.
Last season, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 65% from the field, so the big man was still a pinnacle of efficiency as he carved out his first All-Star campaign. Though Duren struggled mightily in the playoffs, he did enough during the regular season to secure an offseason raise, and there are several teams who are believed to be suitors for the Memphis product in the near future.
According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, there is a very real possibility that both the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls could be interested in signing Duren to an offer sheet once free agency opens. If that were the case, the Pistons would have the opportunity to match any deal that either the Bulls or the Nets work out, so the ball is ultimately in Detroit’s court this offseason.
At the moment, the Pistons only have 12 players under contract for the 2026-27 campaign, but the organization has more than enough financial flexibility to afford Duren’s impending salary. If Duren does reach a deal with either of those teams, the Pistons could even ink the All-Star to a more lucrative contract under the league’s max and supermax stipulations. Considering Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon already said that he looks forward to reaching an agreement with Duren’s representation this summer, it sounds like Detroit fully expects for Duren to return in the fall.
Given that approach, the question at that point becomes the price tag that will ultimately be attached to Duren. At only 22 years old, Duren is looked at as a cornerstone for what the Pistons have built thus far, and the organization will want to do right by such a promising young center who finished in second place for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award last season. Based on most projections, the Pistons would be well-served to keep Duren’s Annual Average Value in the $30-39 million range, though the possibility exists that another team will sign JD to an offer sheet that shoots his price tag up into the $45 million per season range.
In addition to Duren’s contract situation, the Pistons also have Tobias Harris and Kevin Huerter entering unrestricted free agency. Langdon mentioned a desire to keep the former in the Motor City, but the latter’s future is a bit more unclear. Harris has been a model of consistency for the Pistons with 136 starts over the last two seasons, but he’s played 15 years in the NBA already, so Detroit needs to find their long-term power forward at some point. Huerter, on the other hand, contributed to Detroit’s second unit after joining the team around the Trade Deadline, but he was sidelined by a left adductor strain in the postseason.
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