Before leaving for Slovenia, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic reportedly urged the franchise to get him an “A-List center” this offseason. If the Lakers play their cards right, they could fulfill his demand imminently.
Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, All-Star big man Jalen Duren, a restricted free agent, and the Detroit Pistons are at loggerheads over a new contract, and are trending towards a potential sign-and-trade with an interested suitor.
“All-NBA forward Jalen Duren was underwhelmed by the Detroit Pistons’ initial offer in restricted free agency and is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios when they are permitted on Tuesday, league sources told The Athletic,” Amick reported on Friday.
Duren, who made the All-NBA Third Team, is eligible to sign a five-year, $287M max extension with the Pistons. While Duren was never expected to receive such a large sum after his underwhelming playoff run, he reportedly feels undervalued by Detroit.
“According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiation is ongoing, the gap between the sides is large enough that Duren is considering ways to land elsewhere, with the sign-and-trade route deemed preferable to signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could, and likely would, match,” wrote Amick, spelling good news for the Lakers’ trade pursuit.
Lakers Trade Target: Jalen Duren
The Lakers, who’ve reportedly had interest in signing Duren, will be able to make an offer sheet for the 22-year-old center as early as July 1. Thereafter, the Pistons will have 48 hours to match the Lakers’ offer sheet or will lose him in restricted free agency.
However, as Amick’s report noted, interested suitors like the Lakers may not be compelled to make an offer sheet if a sign-and-trade avenue is feasible. The Athletic added that the Pistons, who traded Isaiah Stewart on Thursday, have their sights set on a potential trade for Kawhi Leonard or Jaylen Brown this offseason, making them hesitant to sign Duren to a max or near-max deal.
“There is still time for Duren and the Pistons to close the gap and strike a deal, but the discussion of his value is surely complicated by the contrast between his production in the regular season and postseason.”
During Duren’s mediocre playoff run, several insiders felt that the Lakers had a golden opportunity to pry the young All-Star away from the Pistons. Now, the Lakers — who can generate over $45M in cap space if they let some of their free agents walk — may have the ability to secure their big man of the future.
Luka Doncic’s Demand to Lakers
Duren, 22, fits the timeline of a young Lakers team built around 27-year-old Luka Doncic and 28-year-old Austin Reaves. Furthermore, the athletic big is the exact prototype of a center that is known to thrive on Doncic-led teams, much like Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford and other rim-running centers.
Doncic is surely hoping to play with a center like Duren next season. Per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Slovenian made that much clear at the start of the offseason.
“His feedback to the Lakers’ front office was ‘get me an A-List center, I need that to compete,’” McMenamin said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Thursday. “Luka’s camp was also told to ‘wait until the summer of 2026,’ then we’re gonna show you what we mean for the future, and your future, as the face of our franchise.
“But there’s so much work to be done with this roster, starting with the center position. We don’t know if Deandre Ayton’s gonna opt in to his deal, and if he does, that means Rob Pelinka needs to find a trade partner for Ayton.”
Lakers Get Good Trade News on All-Star Center Amid Luka Doncic Demand