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Duren Signs Five-Year, $200M Deal with Pistons
Confirmed
In Short: Duren ultimately accepted the standing Pistons proposal, doing so ahead of an 11:59 p.m. deadline.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Thursday that Jalen Duren's agent, Chafie Fields of THE TEAM, confirmed the deal, which ends the contract negotiations.
Duren, 22, had been weighing three options: accepting Detroit’s five-year offer, signing a one-year qualifying offer worth $9.6 million, or taking no action before the deadline.
Duren, an All-Star and All-NBA Third Team selection, was coming off his first All-Star season and had averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65% shooting in 70 games.
Detroit’s president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said the team remained committed to bringing Duren back regardless of how he handled the contract situation.
Langdon declined to discuss details of the negotiations, stating the Pistons would not negotiate through the media.
Langdon also said the organization had not begun planning for a future without Duren, emphasizing that the team would focus on helping Duren succeed if he returned.
Detroit is coming off a 61-win season and made several offseason moves while the Duren negotiations continued.
Duren had stayed away from the team during the dispute and did not attend media day or the start of training camp.
Langdon said the organization would not hold the situation against Duren, despite the prolonged absence.
Duren sought a five-year, $287 million maximum contract, while Detroit’s offer was $87 million lower.
Sources told ESPN's Charania that Duren's representatives felt disrespected by the process, especially compared to how the team handled the contract extension of forward Ausar Thompson.
The Pistons will officially get together on Monday to kickstart the 2026-27 season, with Duren now officially part of the team.
What this adds
This deal marks the end of a contentious negotiation period that kept Duren away from the team during the early stages of the season's preparation.
Duren's acceptance of the deal ensures he will remain with the Pistons for the upcoming season, avoiding a scenario where he would have sat out the season if no agreement was reached by the deadline.
What's confirmed
- DETROIT - All-NBA and All-Star center Jalen Duren has agreed to sign a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract to return to the Detroit Pistons.
What's still developing
- If the deadline passes without a contract, Duren continues to be a restricted free agent, according to NBA.com's explainer.
- In a crazy scenario in which Duren doesn't sign a QO or an offer sheet by March 1st, it means that he is sitting out the season.
- Jalen Duren is still unsigned in restricted free agency.
- Duren, 22, is coming off the best regular season in his young career.
- Bickerstaff and star Cade Cunningham threw their support to Duren during the team's media day and said they kept in contact with him throughout the summer.
- But Duren ultimately accepted the standing Pistons proposal, doing so ahead of an 11.59 p.m.
- Duren also took issue with weight clauses in some of the team's previous offers.
- Turner is a good shot-blocker and a stretch 5 who would be a compelling fit with the Pistons at his best, but he is not a rebounder and is coming off a terrible year in which he averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.
- Milwaukee Bucks : They’ve been mentioned as a suitor with Myles Turner going to Detroit, and that would be of more interest to the Pistons than the Kings’ offering, but still not enough to warrant a Duren trade.