NBA preseason kicks off at the beginning of October, with all 30 teams set to begin training camp in the coming days. But for the Detroit Pistons, one big question mark still hangs over their heads: the future of star big man Jalen Duren. Duren's rookie contract expired after last season, and the two sides were supposed to get a deal done over the summer.
The All-Star center reportedly wants a max contract, which would pay him around $57.4 million annually, but Detroit clearly doesn't view him as that caliber of player. According to recent reports, Duren was offered a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million extension, giving him an annual salary of $40 million. Still, no deal has gotten done.
Meanwhile, the Pistons recently locked down another one of their young stars to a long-term deal, signing guard Ausar Thompson, who earned first-team All-Defensive honors last season, to a five-year, $155 million contract worth roughly $31 million annually. According to Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, what's holding back Duren's extension is that he views himself as worth more than Ausar and his twin brother, Amen Thompson, who recently signed a five-year, $208 million extension with the Houston Rockets. "Detroit inking Thompson to a five-year, $155 million deal, which will begin paying him an average annual value of $31 million, added a layer to Duren's contract negotiations," Amick and Patterson wrote.
"As did Thompson's twin brother Amen, who agreed to sign a five-year, $208 million contract to stay with the Houston Rockets earlier this month. While Amen Thompson was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, neither Thompson twin earned an All-Star or All-NBA selection last season, while Duren got the nod on both. For Duren, it's quite clear he sees his value in a higher tier than both twins considering last regular season's accolades." More news: Kyrie Irving Trade Buzz Heats Up Ahead of Mavs Training Camp More news: Jayson Tatum Sets the Record Straight on Relationship With Jaylen Brown Duren was the Pistons' 13th overall pick in 2022 out of Memphis and has since evolved into one of the best centers in the NBA.
He has yet to develop an outside shot, which could be part of what's holding back negotiations, but he controls the paint with his physicality, elite rebounding, and high-flying finishing ability. He's also coming off the best season of his career, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game while shooting 65% from the field. That play earned him his first All-Star nod and third-team All-NBA honors.
At just 22 years old, that's typically the type of player you want to lock up long-term. But his upside is still somewhat capped by his lack of shooting range, and with money needing to be allocated elsewhere to build a contending roster, it's fair to wonder whether he'll ever get the deal he wants in Detroit. More news: Steph Curry Makes Feelings Crystal Clear on Warriors Future
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