The Detroit Pistons are still trying to negotiate a deal with restricted free agent Jalen Duren. Duren is coming off the best season of his career, as he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He was a first-time All-Star and was named Third Team All-NBA.
However, Duren collapsed in the playoffs. His stats went down across the board, as he averaged just 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds on only 51.4 percent shooting. Duren wants a max contract. Detroit wants something less. Now, negotiations are starting to turn nasty.
GettyDetroit Pistons center Jalen Duren drives the ball. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Pistons Negotiations With Jalen Duren Take an Ugly Turn
According to Tim McMahon of ESPN, negotiations have now turned “nasty” between the two parties. He said so while on the Hoop Collective.
“What’s going to be the lingering cloud when this whole Jalen Duren situation gets finalized, or at least temporarily settled? Is he going to sign an extension? I don’t know. This has been an awfully nasty negotiation, and I have real concerns there.”
Duren has refused to budge from his demand of a maximum contract. He believes that what he did in the regular season commands such a salary, even though his flaws were exposed in the postseason. At the very least, Duren will likely be playing on a qualifying offer this year.
This late in the offseason, there is no place for Duren to go. All of the other teams with cap space have used their money, including teams that need centers. If Duren wants to be somewhere else, he will likely have to play on the qualifying offer this season and then become a free agent next season.
There is always a possibility that the Pistons decide to give Duren a max contract next offseason if he plays well this year, but that is not a given. Duren clearly believes that he is worth that amount now and wants to be rewarded for the best regular season of his career.
GettyDetroit Pistons center Jalen Duren drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Detroit is Trying to Keep Its Title Window Open With Duren on the Roster
Losing Duren in the long run would certainly hurt the Pistons’ chances of winning a championship. Last season, Detroit was the number-one seed in the Eastern Conference. Duren was a big part of that and is clearly their second-best player.
During the regular season, Detroit had the second-best net rating in the NBA. However, that changed during their postseason struggles against the Magic and the Cavs. In the playoffs, Detroit had the seventh-best offense out of 16 playoff teams.
Duren’s failure to finish around the rim was certainly a big factor in that. That is what Detroit is pointing to in these negotiations. The future with Duren is unclear, but Cade Cunningham is pushing for the Pistons to keep him for as long as they can.
Cunningham needs someone who can help carry the load offensively along with him.
Pistons Negotiations With Jalen Duren Reportedly Turning ‘Nasty’