One week before NBA teams are scheduled to open training camp, the Detroit Pistons have reportedly made an effort to get restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren to report.
After the Pistons and Duren spent the offseason at a stalemate over a reported five-year, $190 million contract proposal, the team has reportedly increased its offer to $200 million, according to multiple reports.
However, that still may not be enough to entice Duren to sign because the 6-foot-10 center is eligible for a max extension of five years and $287 million after being named Third Team All-NBA last season. Yet the Pistons are apparently unwilling to go that high and devote a portion of their salary cap to a $57 million average annual wage.
Last season, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time, in addition to earning Third Team All-NBA honors.
However, his production declined notably during the playoffs, sliding to 10.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. That was perceived as one of the reasons why the top-seeded Pistons (60-22 during the regular season) lost in the second round of the NBA playoffs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Frustration over the Pistons’ lower offer — whether from Duren himself or his representation — has resulted in the four-year veteran reportedly contemplating taking a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer and then becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The risk would be considerable. If Duren suffers an injury or puts up subpar numbers, he jeopardizes a lucrative contract from the open market.
Additionally, by taking the qualifying offer then getting a four-year, $189 max contract (only Detroit can offer him more) in the offseason, Duren wouldn’t make more money than the $200 million that the Pistons are reportedly currently offering. (He would max out at $198.8 million, to be exact.)
Yet Duren would be banking on the belief that a max contract awaits him in free agency. The Sacramento Kings are reportedly among the teams that have expressed a willingness to offer that deal. And two other teams, one of them the Milwaukee Bucks, have shown interest, according to The Athletic.
If Duren doesn’t accept the Pistons’ new contract offer — or doesn’t report to training camp next week — he is almost certainly indicating that he doesn’t want to play for Detroit anymore.
Hard feelings on Duren’s part may have developed going back to last season, when he was eligible for a rookie-scale max extension, but the Pistons didn’t extend such an offer. The team did make such an offer last week to Ausar Thompson, reaching agreement with the forward on a five-year, $155 million extension going into his fourth NBA season.
Looking ahead to Thompson’s extension has been viewed as a primary factor in Detroit not offering a larger contract to Duren. President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon may also have been saving cap room in hopes of making a blockbuster addition to the roster. (Detroit was reportedly readying to offer Austin Reaves a max contract before he re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.)
However, that didn’t happen and several Eastern Conference rivals improved themselves dramatically in the meantime. Now, the Pistons face going into the season without any new impact players and a disgruntled burgeoning star who might leave in the offseason.
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