Five years, $200 million, and no weight clause
Jalen Duren is staying in Detroit. ESPN and The Athletic reported Thursday that the restricted free agent center and the Pistons have agreed to a fully guaranteed, five-year, $200 million contract, ending a standoff that had dragged on for months.
The money did not move. Detroit had reportedly put the same $200 million number in front of Duren in recent days, but with a weight clause attached. The version he accepted strips that clause out.
Duren is 22 and has spent all four of his NBA seasons with the Pistons, who took him 13th overall in the 2022 draft. His career averages sit at 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Why the talks stalled
Negotiations stalled partly because Detroit reportedly came in lower than Duren’s camp wanted, with the club unhappy about how he played in the postseason. His numbers did slip in the spring. After averaging a career-high 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the regular season, he dropped to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per playoff game.
The regular season gave him plenty of leverage. Duren made his first All-Star team and earned All-NBA honors while Detroit finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22. The run ended in the conference semifinals, where the Pistons lost a seven-game series to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With the contract settled, Detroit keeps its starting center as the new season approaches, and the front office avoids the messy alternative of a restricted free agent walking into an offer sheet.
Discover the rest of our NBA news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply