Most of the big free agents in the NBA are off the board with the exception of one name: Jalen Duren.
Duren is a restricted free agent after his rookie contract with the Detroit Pistons expired following the 2025-26 season, and yet the two sides still haven’t found any common ground.
Duren is just 22 years old, coming off a career year and reportedly pushing for a max five-year, $287 million extension. But the Pistons don’t appear willing to offer him that amount of money. Duren is even reportedly considering taking the one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer, which would set him up to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania gave the latest on the situation during “NBA Today,” saying that the two sides remain far apart and that a resolution may not come until deep into August.
“Both sides appear dug in on where they’re at. The Pistons have a threshold for where they approach this contract with Jalen Duren. Jalen Duren and his reps obviously want more than that, and are trying to see where these negotiations go. So these talks are very fluid,” Charania said.
Duren was the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Memphis and has quickly evolved into one of the best big men in the league. Last season, he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 28.2 minutes per game — all career highs — while shooting an efficient 65% from the field.
He’s not the floor-stretching big that modern NBA offenses typically covet, but he’s a big, physical finisher in the paint and your traditional center that can hold his own on both ends of the court. He earned his first All-Star nod last season, along with third-team All-NBA honors, while playing a crucial role in the Pistons’ breakout 60-win season.
It seems like both sides want to get a deal done, but Detroit may not be willing to dish out a max contract for a 6-foot-10 center who can’t stretch the floor. In today’s game, most contenders are led out by a big man who’s a legitimate threat from long range, and the Pistons may be hesitant to pay a premium for a player without that tool in his arsenal.