The Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract. As we quickly approach August, the stalemate between the two sides is nowhere near coming to an end. Duren is reportedly looking for at least his 25% max, which would be a five-year, $239 million deal starting around $41 million for next season.
The Pistons, on the other hand, are holding firm on their belief that Duren has no market and, therefore, no leverage to demand such a deal.
While Detroit may be correct in its assessment that Duren doesn't have a market due to the fact that there is no cap space around the league, it's wrong to think that the 22-year-old center has no leverage in negotiations.
Pistons have to be careful continuing to play hardball with Jalen Duren
The All-NBA big man's leverage doesn't necessarily come from a long list of suitors. As long as the Pistons aren't willing to engage in sign-and-trade discussions, Duren doesn't have the ability to sign a lucrative deal elsewhere. And the Pistons have shown no indication that they will listen to sign-and-trade offers.
There are three reasons Duren still has significant leverage.
One is that the Pistons are desperate to bring him back. They want to be a title contender next season, and they need Duren to be his All-Star self to have a chance. They can't afford to replace or alienate him, as they don't have a way to acquire a player of Duren's caliber.
Secondly, Duren can make life miserable for the Pistons. Even if Detroit manages to get Duren to sign below the dotted line on a team-friendly deal, there is no guarantee that he will be happy in Detroit. Squeezing every dollar out of him in his new contract makes it more likely that he will be unhappy and ask for a trade over the next season. Do the Pistons really want to have their second-best player feeling frustrated and disrespected all season?
Last but not least, Duren can still choose to play on his qualifying offer. It would be a risky decision, but Duren has that one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer in his back pocket. If he continues to feel disrespected, he could pick up that offer and choose to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. He might feel that he could recoup his losses on a new deal elsewhere next season.
If he picks up his qualifying offer, the Pistons would almost certainly lose him for nothing next summer. For a team trying to take the next step into contention, that would be a complete disaster. Before they continue playing hardball with Duren, the Pistons must understand this reality in the negotiations.
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