The Detroit Pistons and star big man Jalen Duren have been negotiating a contract extension for the entire NBA offseason, and just days before the start of training camp, the two sides have yet to agree on a deal, and the idea of a trade is becoming more and more likely.
Duren is hoping to earn roughly $40 million a year in a new deal, and though that isn’t far away from what the Pistons are willing to offer, reports continue to signal that a trade might be the final resolution to this saga.
In the latest Detroit trade proposal sending Duren out of town, the Pistons land one of the top three-and-D wings in the NBA, a player who has been previously linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they remain a team without the assets to add the young star.
Pistons Jalen Duren Trade Idea Adds Trey Murphy
Writing for Yahoo Sports, Glenn Kaplan offered the outline of a trade idea that would send Duren to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Trey Murphy.
But while Duren is expected to earn roughly $40 million annually on his new contract, or at least hopes to, that’s a significantly different $27 million Murphy is set to be owed this season. However, while the Pelicans are currently over the salary cap, they could add another player in this trade proposal to shed money and get to a reasonable number on their books for the 2026-27 NBA season.
“Would the Pelicans be willing to swap Trey Murphy III for Duren? Murphy has been one of the most discussed names on the trade market this offseason, and he averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 66 games last season. He would be an upgrade on the wing for the Pistons and a solid second scoring option alongside Cunningham,” Kaplan wrote on his Duren trade proposal.
“If Detroit is going to trade Duren away, it has to get a proven scorer back to put next to Cunningham. If the Pistons cannot get this resolved soon, New Orleans is one of the few teams with that kind of player to offer.”
Murphy is a player who’s been mentioned in trade rumors for the past few years. Previously, it was the Lakers who reportedly had eyes for the 26-year-old, but in this Duren trade proposal, the Pistons steal him and put the wing next to franchise star Cade Cunningham.
Why Detroit Makes This Deal
For Detroit, there are two main reasons for making this trade.
The first is that they end this messy saga with Duren and give him a chance to shine somewhere else. Signs point to them wanting to keep the 22-year-old center, but there comes a time when it’s not worth all the drama his contract negotiations have caused.
The other big reason is that they add another star to play alongside Cunningham. The point guard is about to enter the prime of his career, and there’s no telling when the Pistons will have another chance to compete for a title in the Eastern Conference.
There’s a potential holdup in this Duren trade idea because Detroit would be without a high-level big man. They have John Collins and Paul Reed in the frontcourt, but that likely wouldn’t get the job done next season.
The Pistons could make another move for a big man, but there’s not a lot of top defensive centers available, so trading Duren for Murphy might not be realistic considering what the team needs down low.
Still, the idea of Detroit trading Duren is only growing as time goes on, and stealing a player like Murphy from a team like the Lakers is an interesting option, especially considering the Pelicans star hasn’t yet played meaningful basketball through the first five seasons of his career.
That would change if he’s dealt to the Pistons.
Pistons Trade Proposal Steals Lakers Target Trey Murphy For Jalen Duren