The Detroit Pistons have lifted the weight of the contract offered by agent Jalen Duren’s contract, which was initially included when the franchise proposed a deal for five years and $200 million, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.
Duren, a 22-year-old center coming off an All-NBA season, and the Pistons have been in a stalemate for three months, but the end appears to be in sight. Duren signed a five-year, $287 million salary cap deal. However, after the shock of the publication, the Bakers’ latest offer is significantly less than that and, until recently, included a clause that required Duren to perform monthly weight checks with the team.
to remain who apparently felt disrespected throughout the process, until 11:59 pm ET on Thursday to accept and sign a $9.6 million qualifying offer or sign a long-term deal with the franchise. If Duren rejects Detroit’s long-term cash offer — which is fully guaranteed — he takes the unprecedented step of taking a qualifying offer, becoming a free agent without a 2027 contract.
Simply accept the offer; as reported by CBS Sports’ Sam Quinnit is dangerous to proceed in multiple steps;
Doing so based on Detroit’s current offer would bring no profit. Based on current cap projections, the four-year deal would pay $189.2 million, the most in unpaid work by anyone other than Duren Baker. If you simply include the $9.6 million offer, Duren would then stand to make $198.8 million or so over the next five seasons, which is less than what the Pistons are offering. Detroit’s offer is possibly on the table now, as Duren’s approach forces him to act this season and risk damaging his value through injury or failure. That is, a lot of risk and no gain financially.
Duren’s summer was largely unexpected, despite meetings with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings at the beginning of his free agency in June. Very few teams would offer Duren a max cap space that Detroit has likely matched anywhere.
It was a bad idea to run on Duren, but they quickly settled on a sign-and-trade with Utah Jazz former big man Walker Kessler. The Kings were among the teams that showed interest in a sign-and-trade with Detroit, but the talks didn’t go far, with the Pistons making a less-than-max likely outcome.
Duren came the best time of the weekend. He averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on a Pistons team that won 60 games and finished atop the Eastern Conference standings before losing in the second round of the playoffs.
Duren did not appear in Detroit’s media on Monday and missed the start of training camp because he does not have a signed contract.
“We’re excited for him, regardless of what decision he makes,” Bakers president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said earlier this week. “He was a huge reason for our success in the last two seasons, because he had a tremendous season last year. We believe he will do the same this year, and we are excited to welcome him back when he does.”