Jalen Duren decreases Pistons‘ latest contract offer $200 million fully guaranteed over five years as his standoff with team continues, sources say ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
In addition to missing media day on Monday in Detroit, Duren will not attend training camp while he remains unsigned, according to Woodyard. The Pistons will begin camp on Tuesday in preparation for the preseason opener on Oct. 5.
Duren has been unhappy with the team’s offers since negotiations began in June, but the conflict went beyond money, Woodyard sources said. He writes that the 23-year-old center feels “disrespected in the process” and believes the team prioritized the signing Ausar Thompson ahead of him. Thompson agreed with a a five-year, $155 million extension last week.
The Pistons say their offer is fair and is more than Duren is likely to make when he becomes unrestricted free agency next summer, Woodyard added. He can do that by accepting his qualifying offer of $9.6 million, which would mean giving up about $190 million in guaranteed money. Woodyard notes that Duren would have to sign a max deal in free agency in 2027 to match what the Pistons are offering now.
Duren has until Oct. 1 to accept the QO unless the team agrees to extend it. He will remain a restricted free agent when he expires.
Duren believes he’s worth a max or near-max deal after coming off his first All-Star season. He made the NBA Third Team after averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.8 blocks in 70 games while shooting 65% from the field.
However, he fell short of those numbers in the playoffs, when the top-seeded Pistons were eliminated by Cleveland in the second round. During the postseason, he averaged 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks, and was often benched for Paul Reed.
The Pistons have said throughout the negotiation process that they want to keep Duren long-term, and their position hasn’t changed, according to Amari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Link to Twitter).
