Jalen Duren Turns Down Updated Pistons Contract

Jalen Duren Turns Down Updated Pistons Contract

The Jalen Duren vs. The Detroit Pistons saga has been one many have been keeping an eye on this summer. 

Duren was recently offered a five year contract worth $190 million, but his team turned it down as they feel he is worth $200 million. Duren is eligible for the $287 million supermax due to his All-NBA status. 

The supermax is out of the question for the Pistons as star point guard Cade Cunningham has already received one. While Duren’s team understands that, they are still seeking at least another $10 million from the Pistons. 

Duren is a restricted free agent, meaning that if another team offers him a contract the Pistons will have the chance to match it. 

The Pistons have expressed interest in bringing Duren back to keep their young core together. Duren’s desired contract would put a lot of stress on Detroit and would make it increasingly difficult to sign more talented players in the coming seasons. 

There are only a handful of options on the table for the Pistons at this time. They can either trade Duren, let him walk, match a higher offer from another team or Duren signs the qualifying offer. 

This late into the offseason only a handful of teams even have the space to bring Duren in. He may not have a lot of options as to where he plays next season, and could be stuck picking from the lower end of the league if money is his main concern. 

The main team that has been making a strong push for Duren is the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have enough cap to give Duren the offer he wants, and have been closely watching the situation with the Pistons this summer. 

While the fit may not be the best, Duren would have a chance to start a new chapter in Sacramento alongside young guard Darius Acuff Jr.. Acuff is a dynamic scorer that can find his shot from anywhere on the court. Duren is one of the best rebounding bigs in the NBA and would compliment Acuff nicely. 

The Kings may be the best option for Duren for the upcoming season. Even if Detroit is successful in bringing back Duren, he reportedly feels disrespected by the Pistons front office following the extension saga this offseason. 

If Duren decides to take the qualifying offer, he would become an unrestricted free agent next season and Detroit would lose a lot of the leverage they hold over Duren in contract negotiations. 

With the season quickly approaching and young talent Ausar Thompson now also being up for an extension, the Pistons may have to cut their losses and hope they can speedily rebuild their core enough to remain a contender.