Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons failed to agree to a contract extension ahead of the 2025-26 season. Now, the fourth-year player is about to be a restricted free agent in the 2026 offseason.
The Pistons can still sign him to an extension then and reserve the right to match any offer sheet from other teams. Yet, with his hot start to the season, combined with the latest injury news elsewhere, Duren's price is continuing to climb.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. That is obviously devastating news for the Jazz and for one of the brightest young big men in the league. It could also have a big impact on the Pistons.
Walker Kessler's Injury Could Drive Up Jalen Duren's Price in 2026 Offfseason
Kessler and Utah are in the same situation as Duren and Detroit. The sides failed to agree, and the 24-year-old will be a restricted free agent in the summer. In fact, Kessler and Duren were expected to be the two best centers in 2026 free agency. Now, Kessler will miss all but five games of the season, lowering his market. He is far less likely to get an offer sheet that will break the bank.
Any team that would have been interested in Kessler will now turn its attention to Duren. The center market in free agency is bleak. For any center-needy teams with cap space, Duren will be near the top of their list. ESPN's Bobby Marks projects 10 teams to have cap space in the offseason. Among those, the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Wizards could certainly be interested in giving a lucrative, multi-year deal for Duren.
During the 2025 offseason, it was reported that Duren's camp was looking for an annual $30 million salary in an extension with the Pistons. Duren obviously had clear upside, but for how unproven he was, this never seemed very likely. Somewhere closer to $25 million per year seemed like a good middle ground at the time.
With how things have shaken out in the first two weeks of the season, the Pistons would be lucky to get this deal done for anything less than $30 million per year. If Duren continues on this trajectory, there will be suitors for him in the summer willing to pay him even more, especially now that there is less competition at center.
And all the Pistons will be left with is regret for not giving Duren what he was asking for.