The Detroit Pistons still expect to get Jalen Duren under contract.
What happens after that may be the more complicated question.
ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel said Thursday that he believes Duren and Detroit will eventually find common ground on a long-term extension, but he does not expect the 22-year-old center to finish that contract with the Pistons.
“To me, I think the answer is no,” Siegel said on ClutchPoints’ “Clutch Scoops” when asked whether Duren’s long-term future remained in Detroit. “I don’t think that if he signs a long-term contract, he’s going to finish that contract with the Pistons.”
Siegel’s reasoning goes beyond dollars.
He said Duren’s camp does not feel sufficiently valued by Detroit, especially amid reports that the organization views Ausar Thompson as its No. 2 building block behind Cade Cunningham.
That perception matters because Duren is coming off the best season of his career.
Jalen Duren Has Leverage After Breakout Season
Duren averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 70 games last season, shooting 65% from the field. He made his first All-Star team and earned third-team All-NBA honors.
Those numbers strengthened his case for a major payday.
Siegel said Duren’s camp has been seeking a deal north of $40 million annually, while Detroit has been more comfortable in the $30 million-to-$35 million range.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon has reported that the Pistons have an offer on the table worth roughly $35 million per year over five seasons. Siegel said he expects the sides to eventually meet somewhere in the middle.
There is still another path available to Duren.
He could accept his qualifying offer, play out the season and enter unrestricted free agency next summer. That would be a far more aggressive bet on himself, but it would also preserve maximum control over his future.
The Sacramento Kings were among the teams monitoring Duren earlier in the offseason, according to Siegel, though no sign-and-trade framework is currently on the table.
Ausar Thompson Complicates Pistons’ Long-Term Math
The timing of Duren’s negotiations also matters.
Amen Thompson recently agreed to a five-year extension worth about $40 million annually, and Siegel said Duren’s camp can now point to that deal as another benchmark.
Detroit, meanwhile, has Ausar Thompson eligible for his own extension.
Siegel said he expects Ausar’s eventual number to land lower than Amen’s, potentially in the $25 million-to-$32 million annual range. Even so, paying Cunningham, Duren and Thompson at high levels would push Detroit much closer to the second apron.
That is where roster-building pressure starts to become real.
The Pistons clearly want Duren back. They have also made it clear, according to Siegel, that they do not want to facilitate a sign-and-trade.
The harder question is whether an extension would actually repair the relationship.
Siegel Believes ‘Damage Has Been Done’
Siegel was blunt on that point.
“I think the damage has been done,” he said.
His view is that even if Duren signs a long-term deal, the underlying tension may eventually lead to a trade request or force Detroit to reconsider the partnership.
That is not the same as reporting that Duren has asked out.
He has not.
But it is a notable prediction about a player Detroit once seemed certain to build around for the long haul.
The Pistons still have time to settle the contract dispute. Duren is coming off an All-Star and All-NBA season, and at 22, he remains one of the most productive young centers in basketball.
Signing him may still be the easy part.
Convincing him that Detroit is where he wants to spend the life of that contract could prove much harder.
Pistons Get Jalen Duren Warning Even If Extension Gets Done