The Atlanta Hawks have a starting center in Onyeka Okongwu and another big man in Jock Landale. That has not kept them out of the conversation around Jalen Duren.
An NBA general manager named Atlanta among four teams interested in the Detroit Pistons All-NBA center, Andscape’s Marc J. Spears said Monday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” The Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards were the others.
For the Hawks, the appeal is easy to understand. Duren is 22, coming off an All-NBA third-team season and built to give Atlanta a more imposing presence around the basket. Whether the Hawks are prepared to make a serious offer is a separate question.
The Ringer’s Zach Lowe had raised Atlanta on “The Zach Lowe Show” last week, saying he had heard “some rumblings” about the Hawks. He immediately qualified them: “I’m not 100% convinced that those rumblings are accurate.” Spears’ subsequent report adds Atlanta to an NBA general manager’s list of interested teams. Neither report establishes that the Hawks and Pistons are negotiating a trade.
What Would Duren Mean for the Hawks?
Okongwu gives Atlanta a different look at center. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds last season while making 37.6% of his 3-pointers. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for Detroit, doing much of his damage near the rim.
That contrast is central to the decision Atlanta would face. Duren could bring size and rebounding to a lineup led by Jalen Johnson, but acquiring him would likely mean giving up players or assets the Hawks value. Lowe floated Okongwu, other contracts and draft picks as a hypothetical return for Detroit. He questioned whether Atlanta would choose to spend its resources that way and made clear he did not expect Johnson to be part of such a deal.
There is no indication the Hawks have offered Okongwu. Lowe was examining what a trade might require, not reporting a proposal.
The financial mechanics add another hurdle. In a sign-and-trade under the applicable salary rules, Duren could count as only half his new first-year salary going out for Detroit, while counting at his full salary coming in for Atlanta. At a $40 million starting salary, for example, those figures would be $20 million and $40 million. Matching a deal could require additional players or another team.
Detroit Still Wants Duren Back
Duren has declined the Pistons’ reported five-year, $200 million guaranteed offer. He missed media day and the start of training camp while the sides remained at odds. His deadline to accept a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer is Thursday under the current terms; signing it would put him on a path to unrestricted free agency next summer.
Detroit president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said Monday that he wants Duren back. Spears also reported optimism from a source close to the Pistons that the center will sign a long-term deal.
For Atlanta, the coming days may clarify whether there is an opening worth pursuing. Until Detroit changes course, the Hawks are a team with reported interest, not a team with a trade in hand.
Hawks Linked to All-NBA Center Amid $200 Million Pistons Standoff