The Detroit Pistons' offseason has been dominated by the Jalen Duren saga. The two sides have been in a stalemate all summer, failing to come to an agreement. But the clock is ticking. The Pistons' training camp is only three weeks away, and Duren has until October 1 to accept the qualifying offer. This means that we will almost certainly get a resolution in the negotiations.
The chances are that this will be a positive resolution for the Pistons. Despite everything, signs are still pointing toward Duren's return to Detroit.
In his appearance on The Athletic NBA Daily Show on Monday, NBA insider Sam Amick discussed the latest on the Duren-Pistons negotiations. When asked about how big a risk Duren taking the qualifying offer is, Amick said that the "gap" between Duren and the Pistons isn't as big as many people think.
Based on his recent conversations, Amick said that "there's a window here to get something done and put him back in a Pistons jersey." He was also dismissive about the odds of Duren taking the qualifying offer, calling it a "nuclear option."
Pistons and Jalen Duren may be getting closer to a deal
This is in line with the latest reports out of Detroit. ESPN's Tim MacMahon had a similar report last week when he said the Pistons and Duren are about $5 million apart in average annual salary in negotiations. The All-Star center is reportedly asking for $40 million per year, and Detroit is giving him around $35 million.
MacMahon had said that he expected the new contract to land with $37-38 million per year valuation.
$5 million per year is obviously a gap, but it's not insurmountable. Given how both sides desperately need one another and don't have fallback options, one can expect a deal to get done soon.
Even if some of the recent reporting about Duren being disgruntled with the Pistons and Sacramento still pursuing Duren is correct, signing a new contract in Detroit is still beneficial for Duren. Accepting the qualifying offer is still very risky, and there is nothing stopping Duren from demanding a trade down the line while he is still under contract in Detroit.
It's not like this is the first time ever in the NBA that there is tension between a star player and his team. Once the contract issues are resolved and the player gets paid, the relationship tends to improve.
As frustrating as the process may have been, it is in both sides' interests to keep the relationship going, at least in the short run. This means that a contract will be signed and everything will be swept under the rug before October.
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