The Detroit Pistons’ contract standoff with Jalen Duren has placed a difficult question in front of president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon: If the relationship cannot be repaired, can Detroit transform the 22-year-old center into the co-star Cade Cunningham needs?
One ambitious three-team construction would bring Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II to Detroit, send Duren to Dallas and use Charlotte’s considerable financial flexibility to make the numbers work.
The Trade Proposal
Detroit Pistons receive: Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Dallas’ 2032 first-round pick swap
Dallas Mavericks receive: Jalen Duren, signed to a four-year maximum contract
Charlotte Hornets receive: Duncan Robinson, Detroit’s 2031 second-round pick via Dallas
The framework is hypothetical. Dallas continues to insist it has no interest in moving Irving, but that stance has not stopped executives around the league from questioning whether the partnership will last.
Irving, 34, does not fit the timeline of 19-year-old franchise centerpiece Cooper Flagg. Bleacher Report ranked Irving fourth among the NBA’s leading trade targets, noting that front offices anticipate Dallas or Irving could eventually decide that a separation is best.
Allowing Irving to return from his serious knee injury could help the Mavericks restore his value before revisiting the situation.
Why Hornets Make the Trade Work
Duren would earn approximately $49.5 million next season if Dallas gave him the full 30% maximum. Irving’s $39.49 million salary and Lively’s $7.24 million combine for roughly $46.73 million, creating a legal match for the Mavericks.
Detroit’s side is more complicated because of base-year compensation. Duren would count as only approximately $24.7 million in outgoing salary for the Pistons, requiring them to add another contract.
Robinson is the logical choice. His $15.99 million salary raises Detroit’s outgoing matching amount to approximately $40.7 million, enough to receive Irving and Lively.
Charlotte can absorb Robinson using the $40.77 million trade exception it created by sending LaMelo Ball to Minnesota. The Hornets project approximately $28.8 million below the first apron, giving them ample room to take Robinson without returning another player.
Detroit would first need to fully guarantee Robinson’s salary, which reportedly carries only $2 million in protection until Jan. 10. The 2031 second-rounder compensates Charlotte for accepting the additional money and using a roster spot.
Pistons’ High-Risk Swing
Irving would immediately become the most accomplished scorer Cunningham has played beside. He can manufacture offense late in possessions, punish defensive switches and work with or without the ball.
Lively would replenish Detroit’s depth at center, but his inclusion comes with considerable risk. He underwent season-ending surgery on his right foot after playing only seven games last season. The 7-foot-1 center has appeared in just 98 regular-season games through three seasons.
That durability concern is why Detroit should demand the 2032 pick swap.
Dallas, meanwhile, would secure an All-Star and All-NBA center who matches Flagg’s timeline. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while playing 70 games last season.
The Pistons should still prefer reconciling with Duren over making a risky bet on Irving’s knee and Lively’s foot. But if Duren is determined to leave, Langdon cannot settle for spare parts.
Turning the standoff into Irving, Lively and future draft leverage would at least give Cunningham the elite offensive partner Detroit has been searching for.
Pistons Trade Proposal Lands 9-Time NBA All-Star, Young Center for Jalen Duren