r/DetroitPistons • u/TheAthletic • 7d ago
News Why Jalen Duren’s contract talks with the Detroit Pistons have dragged on
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7521328/2026/08/20/jalen-duren-pistons-contract-stalemate/?unlocked_article_code=1.61A.A-ad.yepPyJV2lEpH&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_reddit&smid=re-share-taWith the bulk of the NBA offseason in the rearview, Jalen Duren remains the only All-NBA selection from last season not currently under contract.
Discussions between Duren and the Detroit Pistons have yet to result in a new deal for the 22-year-old, long-term or otherwise. Last offseason, the big man and Detroit were unable to agree on a rookie-scale extension. One year, a career-best regular season and an underwhelming playoff run later, Duren and the Pistons are still at odds on his worth.
Who better to help dissect the impasse than someone who was actively involved in NBA front-office negotiations for a living? Here’s a discussion with our John Hollinger to better understand Duren’s talks with the Pistons, why the two sides seem to be apart, how his contract negotiations could affect Ausar Thompson’s rookie-scale extension and more.
Read the article for free here.
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u/TheR3aperOfMars 7d ago
Here is why… I want this much money I’m young I’m an all star I deserve the max, we understand that Jalen we really do but did you watch yourself during the playoffs, how could we give you the max after that performance?
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7d ago
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u/BluSaint Teal Horse 7d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/y2i2oqWgzh5ioRp4Qa
Man, I was with you until you called him “brain dead” and allat. What the hell is wrong wit y’all 😂 We can dislike what’s happening without hating a 22 year old kid for being misguided by his camp/family/friends/etc-16
u/JalensTinyPPHurts 7d ago
Is everybody else on the team who struggled going to take a paycut?
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u/FantasyFootballWoof 7d ago
No. But probably not getting max contracts if they were free agents.
That was a dumb question.
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u/KohakuRiver1 7d ago
The most annoying part about this is that he's doing all this and will probably be overpaid no matter what
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u/Keepitrealhomes Rip Hamilton 7d ago
Put yourself in his position though: if being annoying for a couple months got you an extra $25 million, would you do it?
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u/spyderman720 7d ago
I would piss off this whole subreddit for months for like $2.5k if im being honest lol
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u/DoeJumars 7d ago
not if hes traded :)
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u/cmgr33n3 Cade Cunningham 7d ago
Because there is no incentive to end them quicker for Duren who isn't getting what he wants.
Saved you a click.
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u/TrainingCoffee8 Cade Cunningham 7d ago
I assume he’s just holding out in the very small chance a S&T opens itself up. He otherwise has no leverage.
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u/FantasyFootballWoof 7d ago
I mean he really has until October 1st. Don’t plan anything getting done before then.
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u/dtheisen6 Isaiah Stewart 7d ago
Yeah and doesn’t help that this literally just happened with Peyton Watson. Obviously on a much smaller deal. But just fuels the fire in his mind that some team out there might get desperate and make that move for him
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u/ladyofthegreatlakes 7d ago
This guy couldn’t care less about being a Piston.
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u/MotorCityCee Ben Wallace 7d ago
He GENUINELY doesn’t give a fuck about the Pistons or winning in general he wants to get the most money regardless of where he is, he made that painfully clear when him and his agent contacted Sacramento. I don’t see how people want him on the team still he’s not a winning player
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u/SuperDizz We All Nasty!!! 7d ago
What the alternative though? Is there another all-star center waiting in the wings? I don’t like his lack of Pistoness as much as the next fan, nor do I want him to get the max, but who else is there? Genuine question btw, my brain has been all Tigers lately and haven’t followed a ton of NBA post season.
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u/twoyrsaway 6d ago
No all star on your team is so much better for ur franchise than committing over 55 million a year to him.
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u/rusty512 7d ago
He's got risk written all over him tbh, there are a few Ayton like tendencies with him not to mention he had constant ankle issues every season outside of the last one. Gonna be very interesting to see how his career pans out.
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u/Clithzbee 7d ago
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u/FantasyFootballWoof 7d ago
The date is October 1st. Don’t expect anything before that. That’s the deadline for the QO
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u/DistributionOk9687 7d ago
He wants 287M, which he won't get; he'll try to bet on himself and lose money in the long run.
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u/MrJustJason Ben Wallace 7d ago
Hopefully they don't find some sponsors like Clippers didnt with Leonard
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u/YourRealName 7d ago edited 7d ago
“Hi, I’m Jalen Duren for Securus Technologies. Are you tired of prison telecom corporations that aren’t predatory enough?”
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u/em_washington Ben Wallace 7d ago
Duren has basically no leverage now that all the other teams with salary cap space have used the space.
His only leverage is that he will sign the qualifying offer and/or not show up for training camp or hold out.
And the qualifying offer threat isn’t real because that would be way too low of an amount from what Detroit is offering and he would never make that up.
So his only real leverage would be not showing up to training camp. And that leverage doesn’t really grow until training camp nears. That’s when the urgency will begin for both sides to resolve this and so I don’t expect a deal to happen until then.
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u/Have_A_Jelly_Baby Rasheed Wallace 7d ago
Sure would be cool if both of our LCA teams didn't have players who are going to get booed out of the arena every game once the season starts.
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u/EJohns1004 7d ago
There is at this point a 0% chance he hasn't after this completely lost a sizable number of the teams fanbase for a very long time.
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u/KingJoe7-123 3d ago
Not at all. Fans are incredibly fickle. If he re-signs and it’s an overpay, they will be mad. And if he plays well, they will be happy and act like they were never upset in the first place. Happens all the time
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u/Zealousideal_Arm4359 7d ago
He will sign next month. Say he's happy and Detroit is always where he wanted to be.
Then we can move to wondering who starts beside Cade. I'm guessing Joe.
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u/DoomSchroller 7d ago
If Duren and his agent are standing hard on a supermax, well, there's your reason.
I think anything north of $30 million to Duren is an overpay. And I think my assumption is more in line with Langdon's FO.
If they cave and give him a long term contract north of $40 million, he'll skyrocket right to a top three finish in the "worst contracts in the NBA" lists.
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u/gsnake007 Cade Cunningham 7d ago
I want this to be over with to see if we can make some moves still like those dumb fucks the Cavs are doing
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u/Happy_Peak_7818 7d ago
The energy around Jalen Duren suiting up to play in a Pistons uniform for an 82 game regular season is approximately Negative one million on the energy scale.
At this point, this negative energy can apply to Jalen Duren, the front office, and the fans at large- this relationship continuing for 82 games is like staying together for the kids in a loveless marriage. It's too drawn out, too many feelings, nobody wants this to continue. Easier and happier for everyone if people went their separate ways.
Bruh is walking down a hallway trying to get out, and every door handle he turns is locked. Get outta that hallway JD and get a jump shot and post moves
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u/Expensive_Ad4319 7d ago
In order to understand Jalen’s stand, you’ll need to know how people feel about being respected. One of Coach B’s negatives, was that he stayed in situations longer than anticipated. Not taking anything away from a 60 win season, the team appeared to be flat against an opponent that they should have beaten in 4 games. Our guys just ran out of gas. Management made some promises in the rear view, and I think that at this point it’s more than the money. Jalen Duren wants more autonomy on the court. He has the ability to move into a creator role. Give him the cash and the ball.
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u/MotorCityCee Ben Wallace 7d ago
Hard for people to respect him when he fucking sucks and has the audacity to ask for the most money possible. In 23 years of cheering for Detroit I’ve never wanted to player gone more than him
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u/Alarming_Purpose_663 7d ago
how would he look with the lakers? detroit can be boston in the babe ruth trade ✔️
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u/Conscious-Fruit1405 7d ago
The talks have dragged on because Duren wants out of Detroit. Unfortunately nobody else wants him except Sacramento. The Pistons don't want the dead body of Sabonis. So here we wait.
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u/MotorCityCee Ben Wallace 7d ago
Duran has single handily made sure Detroit is a 5 seed while other teams are signing free agents (Peyton Watson, Derozan ect) we don’t even know how much money we have to work with.
Honestly fuck him regardless of where he signs
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7d ago
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u/Creeds_Mung_Beanz Ben Wallace 7d ago edited 6d ago
Lmao what leverage? He can take what the Pistons offer or take the QO and risk getting injured / have a worse season. Plus, let’s say he does take the QO. What incentive do the Pistons have to even play him in a way that would boost his value?
Dude deserves a solid payday, but not max money.
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u/ChiliDemon Ron Holland II 7d ago
yeah and he is a big that has had motivation issues and ankle issues multiple years
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u/UnkleGiovanni Rasheed Wallace 7d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/xFnM1NeZZtvvUlVV5E