All-Star big man Jalen Duren reportedly does not plan to show up for Media Day tomorrow (Monday) amid his contract standoff with the Detroit Pistons.
Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson, Duren did not take kindly to the Pistons’ recent five-year, $200M offer, widening the rift between the two sides.
“Detroit’s most recent offer was a five-year, $200 million deal (no team or player options) that included weight stipulations that were not received well by Duren or his representatives,” read the report published on Sunday.
“As of Sunday evening, league sources said there was no change in the talks – either for the team increasing its offer or Duren showing a willingness to take the most recent one. The Pistons are able to extend the qualifying offer deadline unilaterally, but it is unclear if they have any plans of doing so.”
Jalen Duren – Pistons Stalemate
Duren has until Thursday to accept a one-year, $9.6M qualifying offer as a way to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Athletic noted that the 22-year-old big man has been away from the Pistons for the bulk of the offseason and “missed multiple team summer activities” during his contract stalemate.
However, Duren has reportedly considered visiting the Pistons’ team facility as a way to show support to teammates Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and others.
“Without a deal for the coming season – either an agreed-upon new contract or accepting the qualifying offer – Duren would not technically be part of Detroit roster and thus not have had been scheduled to take part in media duties.
“But per league sources, he considered visiting the team’s facility as a show of support to teammates and the franchise. The choice to be absent, the sources said, would be the latest sign of acrimony in these long-lasting negotiations.”
Jalen Duren Rift: ‘More than Money’
The Athletic added that the ongoing rift between Duren and the Pistons has been about “more than money” as he feels undervalued by the franchise.
When Duren was named to his first All-Star team in February, it was assumed the Pistons would offer him the four-year, $287M supermax (which he became eligible for after making All-NBA). However, Duren’s underwhelming performance in the playoffs reportedly led to the Pistons having second thoughts about offering him max dollars.
“…The strained nature of these stalled talks, make no mistake, has been about more than money,” read the report.
“The combination of Duren’s playoff struggles, an apparent Pistons concern about his weight and luxury tax concerns are clearly the driving forces behind Detroit’s reluctance to go higher with their offer. For Duren’s part, league sources say the perceived disrespect with how the Pistons have handled the process is a significant factor in his holdout.”
After averaging a career-high 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the regular season, Duren saw his numbers dip to a disappointing 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in the playoffs, as he was thoroughly outplayed by Orlando Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. in the first round and then Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley in the conference semifinals.
The Pistons reportedly remain uninterested in exploring sign-and-trade scenarios for Duren before Thursday’s deadline. The Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings are known to be teams with “serious interest” in such a deal, per The Athletic.
Pistons Get Major Update on Jalen Duren Amid Contract Standoff