Pistons aren't set after Jalen Duren extension

Just ahead of his deadline to take the qualifying offer, the Detroit Pistons agreed with Jalen Duren on a five-year, $200M extension.

Now that they have three young players locked up long-term, it's time for the Pistons front office to bring the right supporting players to let their young core thrive.

Detroit Pistons are short shooters and ball handlers

The Pistons agreed on a long-term extensions with All-NBA center Duren and All-Defensive first-teamer Ausar Thompson this summer. Along with All-NBA point guard Cade Cunningham, that's a core of players 25 and under who led the NBA's No. 2 defense last season.

But the Pistons also made the NBA's third-fewest three-pointers last season. Duren has never made a three in the NBA, Thompson shot 25 percent from deep last season and Cunningham was no great shakes at 34.2 percent. Adding Gary Harris and John Collins isn't going to solve these shooting problems, especially with Tobias Harris gone.

Detroit could also use a secondary ball handler behind Cunningham. The Pistons' defense-first lineup broke down in the playoffs, in part because teams could game plan for the Cunningham-Duren pick-and-roll without worrying that Detroit's outside shooters could punish them for it. There's no urgency, but the Pistons should certainly be looking at the guard market at midseason.

Detroit Pistons kept their talented young players

While their lack of shooting means Thompson and Duren might not be an ideal fit together, the Pistons were wise to lock up their talented players now. Despite winning 60 games last season, the improved Eastern Conference and the Pistons' young roster suggests the team's best years are yet to come. They're better off betting on the talent of Thompson and Duren than trading for a short-term fix.

There's also a chance Thompson could emerge as an alternative ball handler to Cunningham. Or that Thompson's shooting goes from awful to simply poor, or that Duren extends his range to 16 feet.

The point is that the Pistons have all season to figure out who works alongside that trio, or if having Thompson and Duren together is unworkable. Inking Duren and Thompson gives them plenty of time to decide.

Detroit made sure its most talented players were under contract for years to come. No matter how ill-fitting the roster might be right now, the Pistons made a smart move to lock up their young stars. They're just going to need a few more smart moves to reach their ceiling.