The Detroit Pistons training camp is one week away, and whether Jalen Duren will be joining the team there is unclear. Despite being overly confident all offseason that Duren would return on a multi-year deal, the Pistons have yet to agree to a new contract with their All-Star center. Given the latest reporting, Detroit has no choice but to sign-and-trade the 22-year-old big man before the season.
ESPN's Shams Charania highlighted the current state of negotiations between the two sides. He confirmed that Duren has been feeling disrespected by the team. The Pistons, on the other hand, had the attitude of "it's just business."
The disrespect began last offseason when the Pistons refused to give Duren anything more than $20 million per year. It continued this summer when the Pistons were offering around $180 million to $190 million over five years, but they included a weight clause, per Charania. This reportedly played a part in the way Duren is feeling.
Even though Detroit has gone up to five years and $200 million, per Charania, which was previously seen as the deal Duren wanted, there is still no agreement.
The Athletic's Sam Amick, Hunter Patterson, and Eric Nehm pretty much confirmed this reporting on Monday and added that the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, and at least one other team have "serious interest" in Duren.
For all intents and purposes, it sounds like Duren is ready for a change of scenery. One can debate whether Duren is being unreasonable or whether the Pistons made a mistake by not taking care of their star center.
Regardless of your position, one thing is clear: the Pistons would be wise to trade Duren before the start of the season.
It's better to pivot than bring back a frustrated Jalen Duren for the Pistons
Even if the Pistons eventually cave in and give Duren everything he wants in the negotiations, it's hard to imagine the 22-year-old big man being happy in Detroit. The fact that he is still not taking the current offer, despite it being more than what he could make if he took the qualifying offer and signed a max contract elsewhere next summer, suggests that this isn't entirely about money.
So, it won't be fixed with more money. For one reason or another, Duren has soured on the Pistons as an organization, and trying to fix the relationship by throwing more money at him is a mistake.
Will he really be motivated to replicate last season's success? How will the fans and his teammates feel about the whole situation? How tradeable will he be on his new contract if the Pistons pay him over $40 million per year?
There is a scenario in which the Pistons can pivot, get back future assets, and remain an Eastern Conference contender. If they were to make Duren available in a sign-and-trade, the bidding war could land them strong packages.
Whether it's a deal centered around Domantas Sabonis and first-round picks from Sacramento, or Myles Turner, a role player, and first-round picks from Milwaukee, the Pistons have some options.
At this point, it's better to rip the band-aid off. With the assets they acquire in this deal, the Pistons can reload at the trade deadline and potentially be a better team than they would have been with a frustrated and disrespected Duren.
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