The stalemate between the Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren continues, but there hadn't been a lot of reporting on the state of the negotiations until Thursday. The consensus had been that both sides would come to their senses before October and agree on a new contract.
On Thursday, ESPN's Tim MacMahon provided insight into the negotiations between the Pistons and Duren. He referred to it as "an awfully nasty negotiation" and added that he didn't know whether Duren would sign an extension.
In his appearance on Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective, MacMahon added that there can be "long-lasting consequences" when negotiations turn as "ugly" as they have between Duren and Detroit.
Despite the concerning report, the Pistons must work things out with Duren
Especially since this is the first update we've heard in a while, it's understandable to be concerned. Given the earlier reporting about the two sides being far from one another in terms of their idea of a fair contract and how the Pistons might be considering Ausar Thompson as their second-most important player, perhaps this isn't very surprising.
At the same time, the Pistons can't afford to overreact to this. Yes, it's not ideal to be in an ugly, dragged out negotiations with your All-Star player, but the Pistons have to be mature about this. This is a business, and this is how restricted free agency is designed. Neither side can take things too personally.
The Pistons are trying to be a title contender. They therefore need to make the best financial decisions to ensure they aren't hamstringing themselves in roster construction. And that means playing hardball with your players, especially when there is no cap space around the league.
Duren, on the other hand, is also right to demand his worth. He was a deserving All-NBA selection last season. He may have disappointed in the playoffs, but he is only 22 years old and has been getting significantly better every season. Looking at the market for other star centers, Duren has every right to ask for over $35 million per year in his next contract.
Plus, the Pistons need Duren. They will be hard-pressed to acquire a player as good as Duren if they sign-and-trade him or alienate him to a point where they have to move him later. If Duren isn't in Detroit, the Pistons aren't a championship contender.
Both sides need one another. Regardless of how "ugly" or "nasty" the negotiations have gotten, there is still a ton of mutual benefit to getting a deal done. The Pistons can't worry about Duren being unhappy or feeling disrespected. Getting ahead of this and trading him would be a mistake.
Plenty of stars and their teams have hit rough patches. Good organizations find ways out of these messes. They don't lose their 22-year-old star because contract negotiations got heated. How the Pistons respond to this will be telling about how serious an organization they are and whether they can take the next step into title contention.
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