The Detroit Pistons finally bumped their contract offer for restricted free agent Jalen Duren to five years, $200 million. But you know what? That huge number still might not be enough to keep him in Motor City, and honestly, the way things are playing out, it is getting wild.
Detroit’s Hard Line on a Budding Star
This contract mess has been a stalemate all offseason, with Duren and the Pistons stuck on a reported five-year, $190 million proposal. Now, they are up to $200 million, trying to lure their center back. But Duren, a 6-foot-10 force, is actually eligible for a max extension of five years and a staggering $287 million. Why? Because last season, he straight up earned Third Team All-NBA honors. The Pistons are apparently just not willing to go that high and commit a huge portion of their salary cap to a $57 million average annual wage. You gotta wonder if they are playing with fire. Last season, Duren put up monster numbers with 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, even making the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time.
The Playoff Dip and a Risky Bet
While Duren dominated the regular season, his production did take a noticeable dip in the playoffs, sliding to 10.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. That drop was seen as one of the reasons the top-seeded Pistons, who went 60-22, crashed out in the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This could be why Detroit is holding back on the max deal. Frustrated with the lower offer, Duren is reportedly looking at taking a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. That would make him an unrestricted free agent after this season, ready to hit the open market. It is a huge gamble, though. If Duren gets hurt or puts up subpar numbers, he risks missing out on that lucrative max contract entirely. Plus, even if he takes the qualifying offer and then gets a max contract from Detroit next offseason, he would actually max out at $198.8 million, which is less than the $200 million they are offering him right now. He is basically banking on getting a bigger max from another team, with the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks already showing interest.
With NBA teams scheduled to open training camp next week, this Duren drama is boiling over. If he does not accept the Pistons’ new contract offer or does not report to camp, it is a clear sign he wants out of Detroit. It seems hard feelings might have developed since last season when the team did not offer him a rookie-scale max extension. Meanwhile, they just locked up Ausar Thompson with a five-year, $155 million extension. President Trajan Langdon was reportedly trying to save cap space for a blockbuster move that never materialized. Now, the Pistons face heading into the season without new impact players and with a disgruntled rising star who could just walk. What a mess for Detroit!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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