In the past week, two of the three top free agents on the board have found new homes. Jonathan Kuminga bet on himself, taking less money for a shorter deal in Minnesota. Bennedict Mathurin has signed in New Orleans — that team’s first real move of the offseason — after the Clippers agreed to rescind his qualifying offer.
That leaves one big name free agent: Jalen Duren.
The contract stalemate between Duren and the Pistons has sent some fans to the trade machine, coming up with sign-and-trade scenarios that send the All-NBA center out of Detroit. One little problem with that: Detroit has zero interest in a sign-and-trade. They are keeping him. We have reported that here at NBC Sports, based on what sources on other teams have told us. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon — who has reported this same thing from the start — reiterated it on the Hoop Collective Podcast this week (hat tip real GM).
“The one restricted free agency situation that remains unresolved is Jalen Duren, who the Pistons absolutely, positively, 100% intend to keep, and made it clear to anybody pursuing him in a sign-and-trade possibilities like, you’re wasting your time.”
The Pistons and Duren remain apart in negotiations that have left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Duren was a dynamic All-Star and All-NBA center who averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, plus played high-level defense in the paint, on a 60-win team. Before the playoffs started, it felt as if he was a lock for at least the 25% max of $239 million over five years (what Victor Wembanyama took this summer).
Then the playoffs changed everything. Duren struggled on both ends, averaging 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, he had a negative plus/minus, and he was losing minutes against the Cavaliers to third-string center Paul Reed.
Detroit reportedly opened with something like four years, $130 million (a little more than $32 million a season). Since then, the sides have gone back and forth and not gotten terribly close to a deal, although the real pressure doesn’t come for about a month and close to the start of training camps. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that talks were on track to get a deal done, likely for four years and at least $160 million, which is $40 million a season and a good number.
Expect a deal to get done, but in the NBA that usually happens under deadline pressure, and that doesn’t come for a few weeks.
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